Taking the Long Way
by Kris6
Summary: School is back in session and Marissa is happy to be away from the Bait Shop and her evil boss. At least, that’s what she thinks. Malex.
1. That Bitch

**Taking the Long Way**

**Disclaimer**: I wish I owned them, but I don't. If I did, there would've been a lot more Alex and a lot less Ryan.

**Summary**: School is back in session and Marissa is happy to be away from the Bait Shop and her evil boss. At least, that's what she thinks. Malex.

**A/N**: It's their senior year. Alex never dated Seth and Marissa is not with Ryan. Seth and Summer are together…not for any particular reason though.

**A/N2**: Thoughts are in italics.

**Chapter One- That **_**Bitch**_

"Ugh," Marissa groans as she flings herself into the desk of her first period class, right next to her best friend.

"That excited to be back, eh Coop?" Summer smirks rhetorically.

"Sadly, school is a welcome vacation from the Bitch," the taller girl groans in response.

"Now, your boss can't seriously be as vile as you make her out to be. Well unless you haven't yet told me about the tail and horns," she retorts, adding the last part with a thoughtful expression.

"She's worse," Marissa mumbles as she begins to relax into her desk.

"Look on the bright side: You now get to _**actually **_spend time with your bestest friend," Summer grins cheekily.

Marissa smiles fondly at her friend as their teacher enters the classroom and begins to pass out papers. "I don't even get _**why**_ she's the manager in the first place. The owner must seriously be smoking crack to let her run the place," she concludes lowering her voice to avoid being overheard.

"At least now you have seven hours of Satan-free living," the darker brunette whispers back.

"You're right," Marissa agrees with a satisfied smile.

"Okay class, calm down," Mr. Bowen grumbles as he prepares to begin. "What I just handed out is the class reading list and course syllabus…"

Marissa tunes out the teacher and turns back to her friend. "Seven hours that I don't have to put up with-"

"Alex Kelly," Mr. Bowen greets with poorly concealed distain as the door swings open and slams back shut. "That was quite an entrance _**and**_ you're late on the first day. That's impressive, even for you," he clicks his tongue in disapproval.

"What can I say, I aim to please," Alex drops her voice suggestively and smirks, earning herself a few scattered chuckles and more than a few lustful glances. She also finds herself on the receiving end of an angry glare from Marissa Cooper.

Ignoring the blonde's comments, Mr. Bowen continues on. "Here is your syllabus and reading list," he says as he hands them to her.

"Great. Thanks," she responds with mock enthusiasm and not bothering to hide the sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

"Just take your seat," the long-suffering English teacher sighs.

As Alex surveys the room, she smiles and waves at a few of her friends. After taking a moment, she spots Marissa, her favorite employee, trying to hide behind her purse as she sinks down into her desk. Making her way to one of the empty seats behind the brunette, Alex feels the annoyance of the first day of school lessening exponentially with how uncomfortable she is making the other girl as she gets closer.

Alex finally takes a seat two desks behind Marissa, "accidentally" hitting her with her messenger bag as she passed by. Once seated, she glances down at the reading list before flipping it over, pulling a pen out from behind her left ear, and writing on the back of it.

As the teacher drones on about something, Summer turns to her friend. "Coop," she hisses to get the other girl's attention. "You never mentioned how hot your boss is," she whispers in an accusing tone.

Marissa opens her mouth to reply, but never gets the chance. As Mr. Bowen's back is turned, Alex slightly rises in her seat, takes careful aim, and hurls her balled up reading list at the back of the other girl's head. It's a direct hit and the ball of paper bounces off Marissa's head and lands right in front of her on her desk.

Whirling around in her desk, she glares viciously at the smirking face of, the now seated, Alex Kelly. "What the fu-"

"Ms. Cooper!" The teacher interrupts Marissa's almost-expletive filled rant. "Something you would like to share with the class?" He asks, challenging her to actually say something.

"Actually…" she begins, pausing briefly to shoot the blonde girl a dirty look.

"_**Actually**_, Mr. Bowen," Alex interrupts. "Ms. Cooper is just a little cranky today. Feminine issues," she says the last part in an exaggerated whisper, a conspiratorial tone in her voice. "You understand," she smiles sweetly, gaining another round of laughter from everyone, including Summer, but not so much from Marissa.

The bell rings before Marissa gets a chance to protest. "You are a bad friend," she instead tells her giggling friend.

"Please, she probably saved you from saying something you'd regret," Summer reasons, earning herself a glare. "Or she's just an evil bitch?" She corrects herself, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

"I swear I'm going to rip that stupid purple streak right out of her obnoxious skull," the taller girl growls menacingly.

"See you tonight Princess," Alex sweetly smirks at Marissa. Upon seeing the look of confusion on the other girl's face, she furrows her brow. "Didn't you see the schedule change?" She asks innocently, pointing at the crumpled paper in the brunette's hand, the same paper thrown at the back of her head in class.

"What are you talking about?" Marissa grumbles as she opens up the paper and reads the handwritten schedule on the back of the reading list.

"Lisa and Jason were in a car accident last night. I would've called Sara, but her dad still has that whole 'coma' thing going on," the blonde shrugs.

"So now I have to work four days in a row?!" Marissa asks incredulously, her voice steadily rising with every word. By now, the two have started to cause a scene in the middle of the hallway.

"Okay now. Calm down you guys. At least you have Monday and Tuesday off Coop," Summer intervenes, trying to calm her friend down.

"We're closed Monday and Tuesdays," Marissa snaps back. "Why the hell couldn't you get Jodie to come in?" She growls at her boss.

"I tried, but she talked me into letting her keep the night off."

After a moment, Marissa's eyes widen slightly as she stares at the blonde. "You totally slept with her didn't you?!" She cries out, mortified at the idea of sleeping with Alex for the sake of getting a night off. By now, the two have the complete attention of everyone in the hallway, Summer being the only one to actually notice.

"Jodie can be pretty convincing when she wants to be," Alex shrugs with a mischievous smirk. When Marissa's face turns an even deeper red from anger, or possibly embarrassment, she sighs. "Look, Jodie is in L.A. until tomorrow. What do you expect me to do?"

"Fine," Marissa barks before turning and stalking off to her next class.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say she was a _**little **_upset," Alex smirks.

"No, she wasn't upset," Summer says, to which the blonde quirks an eyebrow at the short brunette. "She was _**furious**_," she clarifies, at the other girl's expression. "Why would you do that?"

"I didn't really have much of a choice. It isn't exactly a treat for me to be stuck alone with her tonight either," Alex sighs.

"Right. You seemed to be getting a real kick out of winding her up," Summer points out.

"Yeah, well, I have to entertain myself somehow," Alex smiles slightly before disappearing into the crowd to make her way to her next class.

_**-- **_

"No, Summer. You don't get it. That _**bitch**_ is in six out of eight of my classes," Marissa whines at her friend in the passenger seat.

"Coop, if she gets off on making you mad, then just don't get mad. Eventually she'll get bored and leave you alone," the darker-haired girl wisely replies, recalling the tail-end of her earlier conversation with the blonde.

"Easier said than done. She's an asshole," the taller girl grumbles.

"Well, have you considered just asking her to leave you alone and stop picking on you?" Summer asks calmly.

"As if that would ever work," Marissa scoffs. She looks over and sees that her friend is about to say something, but she cuts her off. "Knowing her, she'd start acting like an even bigger bitch."

"Couldn't hurt to try," Summer shrugs.

"Maybe not," Marissa reluctantly concedes. "I guess I can just go in early and try talking to her." Summer smiles at her friend and they ride quietly in silence before the shorter girl thinks of something.

"Hey Coop," she says to get the taller girl's attention. "Maybe Alex _**liiikes **_you," she grins.

"Ew! Why would you even say that?" Marissa shrieks, causing her best friend to burst into laughter, which she soon joins in.

_**-- **_

Marissa pulls into the Bait Shop's parking lot at 4:00, an hour and a half before she's scheduled to be in to help set up. She arrives fully expecting the parking lot to be empty so that she could prepare what exactly she was going to say to Alex when the other girl _**finally**_ arrived. What she didn't expect to see was Alex's Jeep already parked in its usual spot in the back. The blonde never seemed to be the 'get there early' type as far as Marissa is concerned.

The brunette takes a moment to gather her thoughts and, with a deep breath, she makes her way to the entrance. She cringes as she accidentally lets the door slam shut behind her. Fortunately, the blonde is nowhere in sight to yell at her about it. Marissa furrows her brow in consternation as she finds no sign of her boss anywhere. Finally, she decides to check the manager's office.

She cautiously approaches the office door before knocking rapidly, perhaps a bit too hard. After hearing the sound of something being knocked over, as well as an impressive stream of expletives, the door opens wide enough for half of Alex's body to be seen. The blonde looks to be an odd mixture of exhaustion, irritation, embarrassment, and frustration.

After a moment, Marissa's shock of seeing the other girl in such a state wears off. "Uh, hey," she greets amusement evident in her voice, especially as a fleeting look of panic crosses the blonde's face.

"Shit! I must've fallen asleep. What time is it?" Alex blurts out in one breath before frantically looking for a clock…only to realize that she is wearing a watch. She checks it twice. "What the hell are you doing here so goddamn early?" She questions suspiciously.

Marissa's smile fades almost instantly. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something," she says seriously.

"You're not going to quit too are you? Seriously, it would really suck having to run this place on my own two nights in a row," she rants briefly.

"What do you mean 'two nights in a row'? And why would you think that I'd be quitting?" Marissa asks, briefly getting off track.

Alex sighs warily as she leans against the doorframe. "Sara's dad died this afternoon, so she quit…which I totally understand. And, I worked the place solo last night because of Lisa and Jason's car accident…Weren't you paying attention when I mentioned it this morning?" She asks irritably.

"No, I was too busy being pissed off," Marissa growls.

Alex closes her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose, letting out another sigh in the process. "Didn't you want to talk or bitch about something?" She wonders, wanting to get to the actual point of this little visit.

"Look, I just…" Marissa trails off, unsure how to continue as she finds herself unexpectedly feeling bad for the blonde. "Could I maybe come in?" She asks hopefully, stalling for time and not wanting to have this conversation in a doorway.

The blonde narrows her eyes and watches her carefully for a moment before opening the door and stepping aside. "Don't touch anything," she warns as Marissa enters the room and begins to look around.

Marissa, for her part, is a little taken back by how comfortable the office is considering who it belongs to. She takes a seat on the worn leather couch and finds herself feeling immediately at ease. Glancing up at the bookcase behind the desk, she wonders, briefly, if the blonde has actually read all those books or if they are just for show. She immediately dismisses the thought. _Who would she be trying to impress if no one goes in the office except for Alex herself?_

"So?" Alex asks impatiently as she hops up to sit on her desk.

"Oh, right! Um…" the brunette takes a moment to get her thoughts back on track. "Why are you so mean to me?" She asks bluntly after taking half a second to think.

The blonde stares blankly at her for a moment before dissolving into laughter.

--

Let me know what you think and if I should continue or not.


	2. Taking It At Face Value

I just want to thank everyone for the reviews. I had no idea that I would get such a positive response after the first chapter. It's such great encouragement and motivation to continue (_hint, hint_) . I originally planned to wait until tomorrow to post this, but decided to do it early.

Having read my profile before reviewing, _**Waffle's Very Happy **_has informed that it was "unfair" that I had the first 7 chapters written already, yet only posted one. I not only wanted the first chapter to be a "test chapter", but I am a bit of a sadist that thrives on cliffhangers. So, fair warning.

**Side note**: this chapter contains a lot of back story on Alex and occurs entirely at the Bait Shop.

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_**Where We Left Off: **_

"_Oh, right! Um…" the brunette takes a moment to get her thoughts back on track. "Why are you so mean to me?" She asks bluntly after taking half a second to think._

_The blonde stares blankly at her for a moment before dissolving into laughter. _

**Chapter Two- Taking It At Face Value**

"You got here an hour and a half early to ask me _**that**_?" She asks incredulously through her laughter.

"You know what? This was a stupid idea in the first place. I'm just going to go and I'll be back at 5:30 so we can pretend that this never happened," the slightly taller sighs, embarrassed, as she stands up to leave.

"Cooper, wait!" Alex calls, the humor gone from her voice. "That was just the last thing I'd have expected you to ask. I didn't mean to upset you…At least not this time," she almost-apologizes.

Marissa turns back to face the blonde and takes a deep breath before opening her mouth. "The thing is, I just came here to ask you to please stop picking on me," she says quickly, hoping that she doesn't sound too pathetic.

The tall brunette watches as Alex scrutinizes her carefully, causing Marissa to nervously shift from one foot to the other. Due to the intense gaze of the blonde making her increasingly uncomfortable, Marissa opens her mouth so that she can take it all back.

"Okay," Alex says simply.

"Look, just forget…Okay?" She repeats the other girl in confusion.

"Okay, I'll play nice," the blonde elaborates with a shrug.

"Really?" Marissa asks, tiring not to sound too hopeful as this could be a trick.

"Yeah. I don't want to have to replace you too over something as dumb as you not being able to take a joke," the shorter girl shrugs, almost being nice about it…though wondering, not for the first time, if the other girl had gone retarded.

"_**Riiight**_," she drawls, unsure how she should take the comment. She decides to simply brush it off and take it at face value…_Just this once_. Both girls just stand there, quietly staring at one another.

"So," Alex begins, clearing her throat. "Go home and I'll see you back here at 5:30," she orders dismissively as she steps behind her desk, takes a seat and turns her attention back to the paperwork she was previously using as a pillow, squinting as she tries to read the numbers on the invoice that were smudged by her drool.

"Are you sure? I could stay and help you…" Marissa trails off as Alex glances up and shoots her a stern glare. "…Or I'll just see you at 5:30," she finishes with a slight smile as she stands up and leaves. "I guess it really _**was**_ that easy after all," she mumbles to herself as she gets to her car.

Back in her office, Alex rubs her hands against her face in frustration. "Why'd I have to go and do something stupid like that?" She questions herself. As expected, she doesn't get an answer.

_**-- **_

Marissa finds herself in the Bait Shop parking lot fifteen minutes early. Having found herself feeling inexplicably guilty for leaving the blonde to set up on her own, Marissa ended up running ahead of schedule and in a hurry to get to work for once.

"Fuck it," she mumbles to herself as she pulls the key out of the ignition and makes her way to the entrance. Once inside, making sure not the slam the door this time, she immediately spots Alex leaning against the bar, her back to the brunette, talking on the phone.

"No Scotty, you listen. I am down three people…One quit and two are in the hospital…No I did not put them there!…Why can't _**you**_ hire them?…You know I can't. I have enough going on with it being my senior year in school…Don't be a dick…It's _**your**_ bar and I don't get paid enough to take care of all this shit Scott…You've got to be kidding me!…You asshole. I-" Marissa eavesdrops on Alex's end of the conversation before it seems as though the person on the other end of the line hangs upon the blonde. "Fuck!" The frustrated manager exclaims before downing the rest of the amber-colored liquid in the glass in front of her, wincing slightly as she does so.

"Hey," Marissa greets her boss awkwardly after a moment of hesitation. Alex's response is a tired half-hearted smile. "Rough afternoon?" She questions, already guessing the answer.

"Scott's lazy ass is staying in L.A. That means that I get to hire three new people. That rat bastard," she grumbles. "You don't know anybody that needs a job, do you?" She asks jokingly.

"I don't know of…," Marissa trails off hesitantly. Alex cocks her head slightly to the side in confusion. "Oh, you were kidding," she blushes a second later at the expression on the blonde's face.

"Yeah," Alex confirms with a smirk.

"So, uh, what do you need me to do?" The brunette asks changing the subject. Looking around, she notices that everything seems to be in order, making her feel worse about leaving the other girl to do it on her own.

Alex glances around as well. "I already pulled the chairs down off the tables, but the tables still need to be wiped down. So, if you could do that, I'll run to the stockroom and grab some stuff we're missing up front," she instructs before walking off to do just that.

Marissa steps over to the bar to grab a rag and cleaner. She notices the empty glass the blonde had been drinking out of and recognizes the scent of whiskey. Furrowing her brow, a question pops into her head that she never even thought to ask her boss. Shaking her head, she walks over to the tables to start wiping them down for tonight. No more than five minutes later, the brunette looks up when Alex kicks open the stockroom door as she lugs a box up to the bar, setting it down with a grunt.

"You know, you could have asked me to help…or at least made two trips," Marissa reasons as she walks over to the other girl.

Alex shoots her a glare. "Well…Mission accomplished," she snarks, indicating the fact that she got it in one trip on her own. When she sees the taller girl's face fall she softens. "Sorry. Habit," she apologizes, earning a smile which she reluctantly returns. Marissa begins to help pull the bottles out of the box and put them where they belong. After they finish, she pauses to look at the bar counter, deep in thought.

"I need to ask you something that's been kind of bugging me," Marissa says contemplatively.

Alex pauses at the other girl's tone and she leans her hip against the bar to face the brunette. "Okay," she simply responds, unsure what to expect.

"Don't you need to be at least 21 to manage a bar that serves alcohol?" She asks, confused.

"Yeah. So?" Alex answers, not understanding the meaning of it.

"Well, you manage a bar that serves alcohol and, although I can't be sure, I don't think you've failed 12th grade four times," Marissa replies, earning a 'duh' expression from the other girl. "Then how can you even be manager?"

Caught off guard by the question, Alex pauses briefly. "I have an I.D. that says that I'm 21," she replies vaguely, trying to avoid giving too much away.

"Yeah," Marissa nods. "But you said the owner knows your in high school, so he'd have to know that you're underage," she points out.

"Dammit," Alex grumbles, temporarily ignoring the fact that the other girl was eavesdropping on her earlier conversation. She runs her fingers through her hair nervously before hopping up on the counter. "Scott, the owner, is my uncle. The I.D. was his idea. He has a friend who works at the DMV who was able to get me one that would pass inspection if the cops ever asked," Alex explains.

"But why go through all the trouble to let you run the Bait Shop? Is he that lazy?" The brunette smirks, trying to lighten the mood. Alex offers a half-smile in response.

"He's runs another bar in L.A. He spends most of his time up there and needed someone he could trust down here."

"So he got his underage niece to manage his bar?" Marissa finishes, earning a slight nod from the other girl. "That's a lot of trust," she mumbles to herself.

"Well, he gave me two rules when he got me the fake I.D. One: no drinking in front of customers and/or employees. And two: no serving to _**anyone**_ under 21, be it a friend, customer, or employee," Alex explains as she spots her empty glass from earlier and goes to rinse it out.

"But _**I**_ saw you drinking when I came in," Marissa states mischievously as she notices the glass as well.

"You were also off the clock, so it doesn't count," Alex smirks.

"What happens if you break his rules?" The brunette asks after a moment.

"If I break either rule and Scott finds out, I'll get fired and shipped back home," the shorter girl informs her with distaste.

"What do you mean 'back home'? It's not like you live that far from here," Marissa snorts, thinking that the blonde is just being overly dramatic.

Alex stares at her for a moment. "You don't know, do you?" She asks, genuinely surprised.

"Know what?"

"I may _**live**_ nearby, but '_**home**_' is in L.A.," Alex says after a moment. She sees a look of confusion cloud over the other girl's face. "I've been emancipated for almost 2 years. I live in my own apartment," she explains with a half-smile.

"Seriously?" Marissa asks, awestruck.

"Yeah," Alex pauses for a moment. "But I'm kind of on probation as far as that goes," she adds sheepishly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I automatically get sent home if I break any of my uncle's rules, if I get arrested again, or if I get kicked out of another school. No questions asked. Do not pass 'Go', do not collect 200," she explains with a grim smile.

"Geez Kelly, how much trouble have you been in?" Marissa asks lightly, impressed and, maybe, mildly intimidated.

"What do you mean, exactly?" Alex asks, the other girl having touched on a bit of a sore subject.

"Like, how many schools have you been kicked out of?…How many times have you been arrested? And for what?…Why did you get emancipated in the first place? Oh, and-"

"I get it!" Alex snaps, getting the gist of the line of questioning, causing Marissa to look sufficiently chastised. She takes a deep breath. "I've been kicked out of four different schools a total of six times and I've only been arrested four times," she responds uncomfortably.

"All of this happened after you were emancipated?" Marissa asks after a moment of shock.

At the suggestion, Alex actually chuckles. "Hell no. If it had I'd surely be in jail or, at the very least, house arrest by now."

Curiosity finally getting the better of the taller girl, she asks. "Why'd you do it?"

Glancing at the clock Alex decides that it's getting close to opening time, so she'll have to settle for the _Cliff's Notes _version. "Every time I got kicked out of school or arrested, my parents would kick me out of the house. Instead of ever actually _**doing **_something, they'd just get rid of me. Then, a week would go by, they'd find me, and beg me to come home and…I would," she begins slowly, keeping her voice steady as she looks at a point on the wall behind Marissa. "After our latest and _**loudest**_ argument I decided that I was sick and tired of this twisted little game of theirs. So I…I divorced my parents," she chuckles humorlessly. "I've only been kicked out of two schools and been arrested once since then," she adds with a smirk.

"I'm sorry," a genuinely sympathetic Marissa replies softly. She opts against asking about what the fight was about, despite her near-crippling curiosity, as she senses that the other girl is getting close to a breaking point.

"No big," Alex shrugs, having regained a measure of composure. She takes in a shuddering breath and cuts off any forthcoming response from the taller girl. "It's time to open. Go unlock the door and let them in," she snaps irritably, hating herself for being that open with anyone, especially that whiny little bitch Marissa.

"Okay," Marissa replies quietly. She studies Alex's back for a moment, watching as she runs a shaky hand through her hair before straightening her slumped posture.

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So, what did you think? I know this chapter was a bit heavier than the last one, but it was pretty necessary as it will remain relevant throughout the story. Her relationship with her family will become important in chapter 7 and help explain why Alex is the way she is.

Also, I forgot to mention this earlier, but if you want to see something in particular with this story, or if there are any inconsistencies or gaping plot holes, let me know. I may have the next several chapters written, but I can always change them if need be. Any suggestions will be taken into consideration and, if I can get them to work, I will.


	3. Actually Not That Bad

**A/N**: So, after another complaint, I feel that I have to further explain the reason for writing so far ahead of what I post. The reason is, more or less, in case I come down with a sudden case of writer's block, I'll still be able to post chapters at regular intervals…that means you won't have to wait nearly as long for an update as it will take for me to write one. Does that make sense?

**A/N2**: Also, as you read this, I am probably working on chapter 10. I'll post the next chapter tomorrow or Tuesday. I am going out of state Wednesday and won't be able to write much, if at all.

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**Chapter Three- Actually Not That Bad**

Alex glances down at her watch and releases a frustrated sigh. She leans forward in her seat to look out of her office and scan the club. She finally spots the brunette, trying to look busy despite the fact that there are no customers and nothing to do.

"Cooper!" The blonde calls over to get the other girl's attention. Looking up sharply, she quickly abandons her task of wiping the down the bar and walks over to the office.

"Yeah," Marissa drawls slowly, cautiously. She has tried to avoid the blonde and not do anything to get on her bad side since Alex opened up to her earlier…then proceeded to snap at her a moment later. As far as she knows, she hasn't done anything to cause the scowl on the other girl's face.

"Go home," Alex simply orders, before continuing to fill out the requisition form for next week's supplies.

"What? My shift doesn't end for…," Marissa pauses to reach over and grab the blonde's left wrist so that she could read the time, much to the chagrin of the blonde, "…another hour," she states.

"No shit?" Alex snarks, taking her arm back before going back to her paperwork. When she doesn't hear the sound of the other girl leaving, she looks back up with a quirked eyebrow. "Yes?" She asks, drawing the one word out in expectation.

"Are you just trying to get rid of me?" Marissa asks in attempt to keep the hurt out of her voice. "Is this about what you told me earlier about you and your parents and everything?" She asks helplessly.

"Marissa, it's 10:30 on a Thursday night. Aside from us, the place is empty. There's no reason for you to still be here. Go home," Alex explains slowly.

"What about you?" The taller girl asks softly.

"What _**about **_me?" She replies with a long-suffering sigh, knowing that she'll never get her paperwork done if the other girl continues to hang around.

"Are you leaving now too?" Marissa inquires. Alex offers no response other than glancing down at the stack of papers on her desk and an 'are you totally blind' expression. "I guess not," she mumbles to herself. "Anything I can help you with?" She leans over and looks at the papers on the desk.

Alex closes her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "I swear to god Marissa that if you don't leave right now, I will fire you on principle," she grumbles.

"And risk having to replace four people?" Marissa smiles at the empty threat, earning a glare from the blonde. "Okay, I'm leaving. See you in class tomorrow," she relents.

"Bye," Alex dismisses her distractedly, her mind focused on the other girl rather than her paperwork._ Why is she suddenly so willing to hang around? She's usually the first one begging me to let her take off early when we're like this._

As Marissa slides into the driver's seat of her car, she finds her own thoughts drifting back to the blonde. _Since when do I want to spend time with that bitch? _"I guess she really isn't _**so**_ bad," she allows, casting one last glance at the entrance before starting her car and driving off.

_**-- **_

"Morning Coop!" Summer greets her friend in the parking lot.

"Hey," Marissa smiles back warmly. "Guess what happened yesterday," she grins excitedly as they begin to make their way to their first class.

Summer thinks for a moment. "Jessica Warner admitted to getting lipo over the summer," she guesses, earning a strange look from the taller brunette. "Come on Coop. People don't suddenly drop 40 pounds in three months. I even suspect she had a nose job. Did she admit to that too?" She rambles on.

"Uh, no. It's nothing to do with Jessica Warner."

"Oh," Summer nods sagely. "Crystal Weaver then," she says.

"I talked to her," Marissa replies, ignoring the other girl's comments, regretting playing the 'guess what' game with her.

"Ohhh," the darker brunette draws out, knowing who her friend was talking about. "How did that go? Did she get all pissed off and start making fun of you? Did she call you a whiny little pansy?" Summer asks, sounding sympathetic, expecting the answer to be 'yes' to all of the above.

"Um, no," Marissa replies, giving her friend another weird look. "I asked if she would stop being mean and she said 'okay'. Alex was actually pretty cool about it. She's not so bad after all," she shrugs pensively, catching the smirk on the other girl's face. "What? We were able to actually talk like regular people yesterday at work."

"_**Riiight**_," Summer draws out knowingly as they step into their classroom, smiling at the fact that this was the first time she'd ever actually heard Marissa refer to her boss by her actual name.

The duo take their seat just as the bell rings and Mr. Bowen comes into the classroom. "Morning class. Pull out your textbooks and turn to page 40," he grumbles crankily. Just as he's about to begin his lecture, Alex comes sliding in the door. "Ms. Kelly, late again I see. We're off to a good start this year, aren't we," he states snidely.

"Sure are. I'm sure to be on the Honor Roll in no time at this rate," Alex replies tiredly, her voice still thick with sleep. This results in a few scattered giggles.

"One more time and I'm sending you to Dr. Brown's office. I'm sure she'd _**love **_to see you this early in the year," Mr. Bowen threatens the blonde, referring to the principal.

Alex resists the urge to give him the finger. "Okay," she says placidly instead as she drops bonelessly into her seat, two desks behind Marissa. She drops her head down on her desk and closes her eyes. _I should have just skipped_

Marissa turns in her seat to shoot the blonde girl a strange look, but it is wasted since Alex has already drifted back to sleep. _What time did she get home last night? _She finds herself wondering as she turns back around in her seat, only to be met with a smirking Summer.

"Well class, I sure hope you've gotten started on that reading list," Mr. Bowen warns. "Pop quiz!" He declares with smug glee at the horrified expressions on the faces of his students. "Ms. Cooper," he barks, glaring at the brunette.

"Uh, what?" Marissa asks nervously. _I'm just sitting here, why is he so pissed off at me? _

"Care to wake up your little friend back there?" He asks sarcastically vaguely gesturing towards the sleeping Alex.

Marissa nods, resisting the urge to correct him about Alex not being her friend. She turns in her seat, and leans over to poke Alex in the arm in an attempt to wake her. That doesn't work as Alex simply swats Marissa's hand away, so, she grabs her arm and gently shakes her. "Alex, wake up," she hisses.

"What the fuck do you want?" Alex grunts irritably as she lifts her head to glare at the brunette, oblivious to the fact that they have the attention of the whole class.

"Pop quiz," Marissa informs her sheepishly.

"Oh," Alex mutters before putting her head back down.

"Ms. Kelly!" The teacher barks. "If you could just humor me long enough to fail this quiz, you can go do whatever it is that you do," he growls at her.

"Fine, whatever," Alex replies, pulling a pen out from behind her left ear and leaning back in her seat. Mr. Bowen nods in self-satisfaction before passing out the quiz. She rests her head on one of her hands and peruses the quiz in front of her.

Marissa, meanwhile, is having trouble of her own. It's less to do with quiz in front of her and more to do with the blonde behind her. _Why should I be worried about her? What happens with Alex has nothing to do with me. _She is shaken from her thoughts as she feels the object of her musings brush by her.

"Given up already?" Mr. Bowen smirks as the blonde hands him her quiz.

"Sure did," Alex smirks back sarcastically, arching her eyebrows as she turns and walks out of the room. Mr. Bowen's smile fades as he glances down at the quiz. Marissa is soon to follow the shorter girl out the door since she didn't even bother with the assigned reading after work the previous night.

"Wait up!" Marissa calls out to the other girl. Alex pauses and turns slightly to acknowledge the other girl. "I'm sorry. I totally forgot about the reading list," she says, digging through her bag to pull out the balled up paper Alex threw at her yesterday.

"What are you talking about?" The blonde asks, wondering if she came late into the conversation.

"The class reading list? From yesterday? The pop quiz that you just bombed was on the first two short stories on the list," Marissa prompts, concerned that the other girl may have gone retarded since the last time she'd seen her.

Alex glances down at the crumpled paper offered to her and chuckles. "Don't worry about it," she smiles before turning to walk away, leaving the paper behind.

"Hold on," Marissa calls back as she steps up to the other girl. "Why don't you seem to care about any of this?" She asks, gesturing vaguely around her at the school. "Do you want to run the Bait Shop for the rest of your life?" She inquires disparagingly.

"Well _**Mom**_, not that it's any of your business, but I aced the quiz. That's why I finished it so fast," Alex begins, her eyes burning with rage as she closes in on the taller girl. "Second of all, who are you to judge me? You're my _**employee**_. Not my friend or my _**girl**_friend and certainly not my mom. So you can just fuck off," she growls before turning on her heel and stalking off, not even hesitating to just plow right through anyone in her path.

"Marissa, thank god," Summer pants as she runs up to her friend.

"You okay?" Marissa asks with an amused smile.

"I could ask you the same thing. You just ran off right after Alex left," she points out. "Everything alright?"

"No, I don't think so," Marissa replies softly, looking towards where Alex disappeared.

Summer narrows her eyes at her friend. "What did you do?" She asks, knowing the other girl well enough to know when she screwed up.

"Um, I may have accused Alex of being a slacker and a little bit of a loser," Marissa says guiltily.

"Coop! Oh my god. Why would you say that?" The short brunette asks, shaking the other girl by the shoulders as she does so.

"I didn't exactly phrase it like that, but I implied it heavily. Honestly though, she doesn't act like she cares about school or anything and she's just so…I just thought…" she trails off, not knowing how to word it.

"You just thought that she was stupid?" Summer asks, resulting in a small nod from the taller girl. She stares at her friend for a moment. "Since when do you even care about Alex Kelly anyways?" She asks, genuinely interested.

"Hey ladies," Seth interrupts as he approaches the two girls in the hallway.

"Hey Seth. What's up?" Marissa asks, glad at the distraction.

"Nothing much. Summer told me that you have six classes with Alex," he replies sympathetically. "So, how is that hot boss of yours?" He then asks with a barely concealed grin.

"Shut up Cohen," Summer snaps at the tall boy, smacking him in the arm for emphasis.

"What? I know that she is like a total bitch to Marissa and everything, but you can't deny it, she's still pretty hot."

"She's actually not that bad," Marissa cuts in.

"Now Marissa, you may feel like that now, but she might be a _**sensitive**_ rebel punk with a heart of gold," Seth continues wistfully, ignoring what the other girl actually said in favor of assuming that it was negative. They pause a moment, the girls giving him an odd look. "Did you just say that she wasn't that bad?" He asks in confusion.

"Uh, yeah," Marissa responds, amused that he is so clueless.

"_**And**_ Coop just pissed her off and, maybe, even hurt her feelings," Summer points out, trying to get back on track with their previous conversation.

"Is that true?" Seth inquires curiously, his attention shooting back over to the taller girl, who nods slightly, embarrassed. "Wow. And here you were starting to get me to believe that Alex didn't even have feelings to hurt," he tries to joke awkwardly, earning him another slap from his girlfriend.

"Seriously, shut up," Summer sighs. "You're going to see to her again today, right Coop?" She asks, turning her attention back to her friend.

"Well, yeah. I have five more classes with her today. It's unavoidable," Marissa replies obviously.

"Good. Then you can apologize for having been so insensitive," Summer nods.

"Hey. You're _**my**_ friend why are you siding with _**her**_?" The taller brunette asks defensively.

"Because you finally get her to open up and be nice to you, then you go and accuse her of being a stupid loser," Summer reasons with a scowl.

"Ugh, you're right," Marissa acquiesces dramatically. "I'll apologize in our next class," she says. As if on cue, the warning bell rings, reminding them that they have five minutes to get to their next class.

"Yeah, I really hope you two kiss and make up. Take pictures," Seth grins, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

"Ew Cohen. They are _**soo **_not even like that," Summer scrunches up her nose in disgust. "And I thought I told you to shut up," she adds as she drags her boyfriend off to their next class.

Marissa looks on in amusement. _Taking pictures would be the last thing on our minds if we were making out._ She scoffs to herself before stopping dead in her tracks. _Whoa! Why can I even see us making out at all?_ She wonders with a stricken look on her face.

_**--**_

"I don't know!" An exasperated Marissa exclaims into her cell phone as she waits at a red light.

"Coop," Summer sighs on her end of the line. "She seriously just ditched the rest of her classes?" She asks warily.

"I guess so," Marissa responds. The light turns green and she makes a left turn. "But I'm on my way to the Bait Shop. Hopefully she's there," she adds.

"Won't you just see her at work?" Summer inquires.

"Yeah, but I don't want to put this off," the taller girl says. "Look, I'm pulling into the parking lot now. I'll give you a call later," she informs the other girl.

"Good luck," Summer responds, wondering briefly why her friend always seems out of sorts when her gorgeous blonde boss is concerned.

Marissa immediately spots Alex's Jeep in its usual spot in the back next to a dark blue Lexus. She jumps out of her car and makes her way to the entrance. Quietly, she opens the side door. Her eyes grow wide and she is frozen in place from what she sees before her. _I should've waited until my shift started before talking to Alex._

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I know you must be wondering what Marissa sees when she walks into the Bait Shop. I'd tell you, but I need you to read the next chapter. To get the next chapter, you're going to have to bribe me with reviews. So…get to it.

Oh, and as I said before, if you want to see something in particular with this story, or if there are any inconsistencies or gaping plot holes, let me know. I may have the next several chapters written, but I can always change them if need be. Any suggestions will be taken into consideration and, if I can get them to work, I will.


	4. Stockholm Syndrome or Something

Here's the next update, as promised. Like I said, I'll be going out of state and I won't have time to even access until Friday, so look for the next update around then.

**A/N**: This chapter is short, I know. I needed it to be that way because it was the best place to end it without cutting into the next two scenes awkwardly. Good news, the next chapter is longer.

**A/N2**: Also, and this isn't particularly relevant, but this is one of my favorite chapters if for no reason other than the scene between Marissa and Summer.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_Marissa immediately spots Alex's Jeep in its usual spot in the back next to a dark blue Lexus. She jumps out of her car and makes her way to the entrance. Quietly, she opens the side door. Her eyes grow wide and she is frozen in place from what she sees before her. __**I should've waited until my shift started before talking to Alex.**_

**Chapter Four- Stockholm Syndrome or Something**

Facing the door and sitting up on the black counter of the bar is Jodie. The short brunette, however, doesn't even notice the other girl's presence as she is otherwise distracted. She has her legs wrapped firmly around Alex's waist as the slightly taller girl kisses her deeply. One of Jodie's hands cups the back of the other girl's neck tightly while the other hand tangles itself into her thick blonde hair. Alex keeps them both from falling over by keeping her hands braced on the counter behind the short brunette.

At the sound of the door closing, Jodie reluctantly pulls away from the taller girl to look at the intruder. Through half-lidded eyes, she gazes at the newcomer before offering an impish smirk. "Marissa," she drawls, her voice still thick with lust from her previous activities as she drops her legs from Alex's waist.

"Marissa?" Alex asks, bewildered. Noticing the other girl's shifted attention, she turns to see what she's looking at. "Marissa," she repeats, still somewhat dazed.

"Uh, hey," the girl in question greets awkwardly.

"What are you, uh, doing here?" Alex asks, clearly thrown by her presence. She tries to pull away from Jodie, but the other girl is having none of that as she maintains her hold.

"I…Um, I'll just talk to you later," Marissa stammers before turning and fleeing back the way she came. Jodie just drops her head into the crook of the blonde's shoulder and chuckles lightly.

"Where were we?" The short brunette asks in a low, sultry tone as she pulls Alex's face back towards her own. For her part, Alex smiles softly before resuming where the duo left off. Her thoughts, however, are on a different brunette altogether.

Back in the parking lot, Marissa is pacing back in forth in front of her car and, possibly, having a panic attack. _**Oh **__my god! Oh __**my**__ god! Oh my __**god**__! _Her mind repeats on a loop. _Jodie and Alex…Oh my god! I walked in on them practically having __**sex**__! _She tries to calm herself as she pauses to lean on the hood of her car.

"Jodie is such a _**fucking **_bitch," she finds herself mumbling jealously to herself. _No! I can't be jealous of Jodie because that would mean that I actually __**liked **__Alex. _"I need to talk to Summer," she concludes resolutely before jumping in her car and driving off towards her best friend's house.

_**--**_

"I'm coming!" Summer shouts irritably as she comes running downstairs to answer the incessant pounding at her front door. "Coop? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to see Alex at the Bait Shop?" She inquires, opening the door for her friend to enter.

"I did," Marissa replies, still somewhat shell-shocked at what she'd seen 15 minutes ago.

Summer studies the taller girl for a moment, noting the hurt look on her face. "Are you alright? What happened?" She asks softly, leading the other girl into the living room and sitting her on the couch.

Marissa takes a deep breath. "I walked in on Alex and Jodie getting all hot and heavy at the bar," she sighs awkwardly.

"So?" Summer asks, unsure why this warrants a distressed visit to her house.

With a groan, Marissa stands up and starts pacing. "I just…I don't know why but it just really got to me, you know?" She sends a pleading look towards her friend as if begging her to understand.

The shorter brunette scrunches her nose in thought. "Like got to you how? Like, were you grossed out?" Marissa shakes her head 'no'. Summer pauses. "You were confused?" She asks gently.

At this, Marissa stops her pacing and stares at her friend with a defeated sigh as she drops back into her seat on the couch. "I felt like someone kicked me in the stomach Sum. I thought I was going to be sick and I…I'm scared because I don't know what that means," she answers, letting out a grunt of frustration.

Summer moves closer to her friend and takes her hand. "Marissa, I'm going to tell you something and I need you to promise me that you won't freak out, okay?" She asks.

"Okay," Marissa draws out. _When did I become the one in this relationship prone to freak-outs?_ She wonders fleetingly.

"Okay," Summer confirms with a nod. "I think you were jealous of Jodie," she states calmly.

"Why would I be jealous of Jodie?" Marissa asks with a confused tone, a feeling of dread settling into the pit of her stomach.

_**Now **__she chooses to be clueless!? _Summer shouts in her head, rolling her eyes. "Sweetie, you're jealous of Jodie because…Well, because you have a crush on Alex," she says, using the same soothing tone of voice as before.

Marissa opens her mouth, a denial ready on her lips. She closes her mouth and shakes her head. _Oh shit! _"Oh shit!" She exclaims, her eyes widening in realization. "I do. I totally do, don't I?" She asks rhetorically.

Summer nods slowly. _If this wasn't so major, it'd be funny._ "It'll be okay Coop," she offers, trying to control her friend's hysterics. _She promised she wouldn't freak-out._

"No it won't Summer. It's _**Alex**_!" Marissa exclaims with distain, as if that simple fact entirely explained why the very idea is so appalling.

"Why are you so upset? It's just Alex," Summer responds, this whole conversation taxing heavily on her dwindling reserves of patience. "Is it because she's a girl?" She inquires, wondering if that is the source of the taller brunette's anxiety.

"No!" Is Marissa's immediate reaction. "She's just so…and it's like she's always like…and…ugh!…You know?" She rants, gesturing wildly, hoping to get her point across.

Summer stares at the other girl blankly, blinking rapidly for a moment. "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. You are definitely going to have to give me some adjectives," she informs her.

"She's so cocky and frustrating and sarcastic and she is still _**kind of **_a bitch and she just gets under my skin and-"

"And you like her because of all of those things, Coop," Summer sighs. "She's your totally hot boss who knows how to push your buttons and you let her do it because, deep down, I think you like it," she ventures.

Marissa lets out a deep sigh. "Maybe I don't _**like her**_, like her. Maybe it's just, like, Stockholm Syndrome or something. You know, like due to having spent the last six months working with her so closely at the Bait Shop. Spending so much time with her has kind of brainwashed me into crushing on her," she perks up, a small, delusional bit of hope in her voice.

"I think you're reaching 'Riss," Summer shakes her head softly.

The taller girl throws her head back against the sofa and stares at the ceiling in defeat. "But she's with Jodie," she sighs despondently.

"So, it's probably for the best," Summer shrugs, earning a glare from the other girl. "Look," she begins, turning her body to face Marissa. "Well, you've already said that she didn't like you, so, since she has a girlfriend then you won't try anything and embarrass yourself in front of her."

"Is it really that easy to just…get over someone?" Marissa asks expectantly.

"You got over Ryan, didn't you?" The shorter girl offers as an explanation.

"After I dated him Summer!" She points out the big major, gaping flaw in her friend's example.

"Oh, right. Well, you can always just quit," Summer states the most obvious solution.

Marissa seems to ponder this for a moment. "No, I couldn't. I'd still have to deal with her at school. Besides, I couldn't do that to her, not when she's already under so much stress at work."

"Suddenly, you care an awful lot about this girl," Summer sing-songs with a smirk, earning her a glare. "I seem to recall you having expressed your desire to 'rip the stupid purple streak right out of her obnoxious skull' only yesterday morning. A lot has changed in 24 hours, huh?"

Marissa groans. "I think that I maybe felt this way towards her for a while now," she admits quietly. "Yesterday I just became aware of it when she opened up to me before work. It was just a totally different side to Alex and she let me see the _**real**_ her and…I think I kind of like the real her," she confesses softly, looking down at her hands and avoiding her best friend's eyes.

"Aw Coop," Summer coos as she pulls her friend into a warm embrace.

"I just don't know what to do," Marissa breathes out, holding back tears, as she returns the hug.

"I think you just cycled through all the stages of grief here on my couch," the shorter girl notes, earning a small laugh from her friend.

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As I said before, if you want to see something in particular with this story, or if there are any inconsistencies or gaping plot holes, let me know. I may have the next several chapters written, but I can always change them if need be. Any suggestions will be taken into consideration and, if I can get them to work, I will.


	5. I'm Not Jealous, I'm Traumatized

So, I am back about eight hours earlier than intended. My ex-girlfriend was being all "Jodie-like" and I just ended up leaving. It is now 2:30am. Anyways, I decided to post this while I'm still awake.

**A/N**: Jodie and Alex's relationship is not exactly what anyone expects...you'll see. Oh, and this picks up with Jodie and Alex as well.

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**Chapter Five- I'm Not Jealous, I'm Traumatized**

Alex is laying naked on the couch in her office with an equally nude Jodie draped across her. The shorter girl is lightly drawing patterns on the other girl's taut stomach with her fingertips.

"I missed you last week," Jodie states, her voice low.

"I missed you too Jo," Alex responds with a smile. "I wasn't expecting you until later tonight."

"Well, I wanted to be here when you got out of class to surprise you," the brunette grins at her friend. "I thought you were done skipping school though," she frowns at having been the surprised one when the blonde girl came stalking into the club at 11:30 am.

"I had a bad morning," Alex sighs.

"Care to share with your bestest friend in the whole world?" Jodie inquires saucily when it becomes apparent that the younger girl has no intention of elaborating.

"I got into a fight with Marissa at school today."

"Well, there's some earth-shattering, front-page news," the dark-haired girl mumbles with a roll of her eyes, earning herself an angry glare. "Fine. What was it about?" She grunts.

"No, forget it. I don't want to talk about it," Alex grouches as she tries to get up out from underneath the smaller girl.

Jodie, however, has other plans as she keeps her friend pinned to the couch. "No Al, _**you **_brought it up, so we're going to talk about it," she retorts firmly, holding Alex's wrists to keep her from shoving her off. _Been there, done that. I'd rather not have another bruise on my ass from landing too hard._

Alex finally gives up the struggle and goes still below her friend. _Freakishly strong little midget._ "She called me a stupid loser," she relents, mumbling under her breath and refusing to meet her friend's eyes.

Jodie sits back and releases the other girl immediately. "She said that?" She asks, dumbfounded.

The blonde sighs as she sits up, finally, with the older girl still straddling her waist. "She didn't use those exact words, but the implication was clear," she admits. At this, Jodie's eyes briefly flash with anger and she slides off of the other girl and begins to dig around for her clothes. "Wait! What are you doing?" Alex asks, panic setting in.

"I'm going to find that little bitch and kick her scrawny white ass until she can't even so much as twitch without feeling excruciating pain," Jodie growls, gesturing wildly with her t-shirt in one hand and her panties in the other.

"No. No you aren't Jodie. This is between me and Marissa. And, as much as I appreciate you wanting to defend my honor, I want you to stay out of it," Alex quickly replies, standing up to place her hands on the other girl's shoulders, knowing how protective her friend can be.

"You can't let her walk all over you like this Al!" Jodie nearly screams at the younger girl with rage as she pokes her in the chest for emphasis.

"_**I**_ will handle it. Please, just lay off of her tonight. Please," she begs, letting her hands drop from her friend's shoulders to her forearms, trying to calm her.

Jodie huffs out a deep breath and looks up into the grayish-blue eyes of her best friend. "You told me you weren't going to let this stupid little crush of yours affect you," she sighs sadly before noting the downcast expression on the other girl's face. "Okay, I'll leave her alone…for now. But I swear to god Kelly, if she does anything like this again, I _**will **_maim her."

"I love you too Jodie," Alex smiles fondly at the short brunette before kissing her lightly on the nose. "Now go home and change. I need you back here in an hour," she instructs.

"Yes Boss," Jodie rolls her eyes, smiling nonetheless, before walking out of the office.

_**--**_

Marissa walks up to the Bait Shop entrance once again, actually paying attention to the number of cars parked there. She's surprised to find that Jodie's car is no longer in the parking lot. However, that doesn't stop her from opening the door slowly so she can peek in to make sure that no one is having sex on the bar.

Seeing nobody in sight, she begins the arduous task of hunting down the blonde, for the second time in as many days. Once again, she finds herself standing in front of the closed office door. _This was __**so **__much easier before I knew that I liked her. _Marissa sighs and knocks on the door.

"It's open!" Alex calls out from the other side of the door. The brunette slowly pushes the door open and cautiously walks in. "Hey," the shorter girl greets her in shock.

"Um, I…Well, I wanted to apologize for being an asshole this morning," she says quickly, finding it hard to look at the other girl as she does so.

"Uh huh," Alex replies, arching an eyebrow and holding back a smile. She waits a beat and, as expected, the taller girl continues.

"You're just so…you," Marissa offers as a way of explanation, which actually does nothing to explain anything. "I mean, you're all attitude and pissing off the teachers and I guess I just assumed that you just didn't care and…You know what happens when you assume?" She chuckles nervously.

Alex leans back in her seat and folds her arms across her chest. "You make an ass out of _**yourself **_mostly," she points out, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"Yeah, I guess I did," the brunette mumbles, before glancing at the other girl who is doing her best not to laugh. _She's fucking with me!_ "You are such a bitch," Marissa grins, shaking her head. Alex does nothing to hide her laughter this time around.

"I may have overreacted a bit too," Alex offers by way of apology. Marissa says nothing at first, her attention having focused from the other girl to the space behind her. She steps to the side of the blonde's desk and looks up at the bookcase on the wall. "What are you doing?" The perplexed manager asks.

"You've totally read everything on the reading list already, haven't you?" Marissa asks in wonderment as she glances at some of the titles before shifting her gaze back to the blonde, who merely nods. "Wow, I feel like an even bigger idiot now," she smirks self-deprecatingly.

"That's why I didn't need the reading list back," Alex confirms the other girl's suspicions. She sighs and glances at her computer screen. Saving her work, Alex turns back to the brunette, giving her all of her attention.

"What were you doing?" Marissa asks when she sees this.

"Research paper for History," Alex shrugs.

"You do know that that paper isn't due for a month and a half right?" The taller girl asks, quirking a brow.

"Yes I do. I also know that, as busy as we've been here, I need to get it done while I have the chance," Alex points out. "This whole weekend I have to interview people to work here. It's a pain in my ass, but I wanted to get some homework done before it was time to set up," she sighs, noting the time.

"How far did you get?" Marissa asks, sitting in one of the chair by the desk, noting the cringe on the other girl's face when she made a move to sit on the couch. _What's her problem?_

"Not very. Jodie was here when I walked in," Alex replies, distracted. _Thank god she didn't sit on the couch. We had sex on that couch._ She grimaces to herself.

"Right. Jodie," Marissa sighs dejectedly.

"If I didn't know better Cooper, I'd say you were jealous," an amused Alex smirks, having picked up on the other girl's tone.

"I'm _**not **_jealous, I'm traumatized," the taller girl snaps. "The last thing I expected was to walk in on the two of you getting it on at the bar," she grinds out. "How was I supposed to know you were a couple?" She inquires, slightly hurt.

"A couple?" Alex asks with a laugh. "Please, Jodie and I are best friends."

"Of course you are. I make out with and grope all of my friends too," Marissa retorts sarcastically.

"Okay, then we're friends with benefits. What's it matter to you?" Alex challenges.

"You're right. It doesn't," Marissa nods, smoothing down her clothes nervously. "So, what do you need me to do?" She asks, getting right to business.

Alex studies the other girl for a moment. "I need to finish stocking the bar, so I need you to just start pulling down the chairs," she instructs, standing up and stretching. The two girls exit the office, Alex even holding the door for the taller girl.

"Hey, I thought you didn't like letting people in your office," Jodie barks from the bar as she sees the two leaving the room together.

Closing the door behind her, Alex shoots her friend a look. "Stop," she warns simply. _Please not now._

"Whatever," the shorter girl scoffs clearly expecting an explanation. She pauses to give the tall brunette a once-over. "Marissa," she greets her curtly. _I'll never understand what Alex sees in her._

"Jodie," Marissa greets in an equally chilly tone trying not to appear intimidated by the shorter girl. _She's not her girlfriend. She's not her girlfriend._ She repeats, trying to make herself feel better. _Now what? Summer never coached me about this._

Alex watches the exchange silently, curious about the conflicted expression on the taller girl's face. "I'd hate to break up this little love-fest, but we have work to do," she interrupts their staring contest.

"Right," Marissa mumbles, ducking her head and going off to start pulling chairs down.

Going over to the bar, Alex begins to make note of what she needs to pull out from the stockroom. Every few moments, she raises her eyes up from her task to look at Marissa on the other side of the room.

"Stop it, you're making me sick," Jodie whispers in her friend's ear as she stands close behind her.

Alex jumps slightly and turns to face the short girl. "I don't know what you're talking about," she evades, darting her eyes around the room.

Jodie places her hands on the bar on either side of the blonde, her gaze unwavering. "Give me some credit. I'm _**not **_blind and seriously do not want to spend my entire shift watching the two of you trade love-struck glances," she mutters with irritation.

"Sorry. It's nothing. Clearly I'm just losing my mind and becoming delirious due to sleep deprivation and all of this crap about having to hire three new people this weekend. Once this is all settled and I see the error of my ways, I'll be over her," she jokes.

"You don't have to simply deal with it and be all awkward and lame until it passes over. You have options," Jodie points out with a mischievous smirk.

"Huh?" Alex articulately responds. _I know that look. That look usually means trouble._

Jodie smiles slightly as she brings her hands up to cup the back of her friend's neck, pulling her close. "Just fuck her already," she mutters in a low, sultry tone. She keeps an eye trained on the tall brunette during the course of their discussion, noting how the other girl can barely pull her attention away from the pair.

Marissa discreetly watches the entire exchange, obsessively wiping the same spot of the table the whole time. _Alex said they were friends. They are totally more than just friends. She lied to me. Why would she lie to me? Even if they were just 'friends with benefits', I don't think they'd be so cozy with each other. _She panics silently as she observes Jodie pull Alex closer to her to whisper something in her ear. After a moment, she realizes that the short brunette is watching her with a smirk. _Summer and I are going to have __**so**__ much to talk about tomorrow._


	6. You're Not Asking, I'm Offering

I just want to thank you guys who are still reading this and thanks for all of the great reviews. They are much appreciated.

**A/N**: Be patient because there is going to be some actual Malex action around chapter 10 or 11.

**A/N2**:This is just a cool fact- I read in an article online that, originally, Olivia Wilde auditioned for the part of Marissa on _The O.C._ Crazy huh? Could you imagine how different the show would've been?

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**Chapter Six- You're Not Asking, I'm Offering**

It's 2:00am and the club has just closed. Marissa wipes down the bar counter as Jodie leans lazily against it, watching Alex getting the cash and credit slips in order so that she can put it in the safe.

The blonde covers her mouth to stifle another yawn before checking her watch. "The two of you can go whenever you're done," she informs them sleepily before glancing up at them. "Jodie, could you at least _**pretend**_ to be busy?" She asks, shaking her head with exasperation when see notices her best friend not really doing anything.

"Well, what about you?" The older girl challenges.

"What about me? I actually _**am **_busy," Alex snaps back.

"No you blonde dumbass," Jodie snarks. "Are you actually going to go home tonight?" She questions, gaining the attention of the taller brunette.

"What are you talking about?" Marissa asks, perplexed. _What kind of question is that? Where else would she go?_ Jodie shoots her an annoyed look.

"I'll probably just crash here again tonight," Alex shrugs noncommittally, ignoring Marissa.

"'Again'?" The tall brunette asks, still somewhat lost.

Jodie glances Marissa. "Your little buddy has spent the last two nights in her office because Alex is such a workaholic that she's too exhausted to go home after work," she tells the other girl, much to Alex's chagrin. _Bingo._ She grins wickedly at her friend.

"Seriously?" A wide-eyed Marissa asks the blonde.

"Yeah," Alex growls, glaring at the short smirking brunette leaning against the bar. "Wednesday I stayed here because of all the drama of being the only one working. Last night, I had paperwork that had to be done and turned in by this morning. By the time I was done with that and closing down, it was almost 1:30am," she explains through clenched teeth.

"Is that why you were so tired this morning in class?"

"Yep," Alex replies shortly. "Now go home. Both of you," she adds the last part specifically for Jodie.

"You're not staying the night here," Marissa announces.

"What?" Jodie wonders.

"I'm not?" Alex asks in amusement, folding her arms across her chest.

"No."

Stifling another yawn, Alex rolls her eyes. "I'm too tired to play games with you. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"My house is only a couple of minutes from here. You'll stay with me tonight," Marissa declares. _What the __**hell **__are you doing Cooper?!_ She screams in her head.

"There you go Al. Problem solved," Jodie states, barely holding back her laughter. _Bossing around her boss. I officially like her._

"Uh, no. It isn't," Alex tells her friend, mocking the other girl's tone. "First of all, I have to drop by my apartment and be back here early tomorrow and, _**whoops**_, I won't have my car," she points out obviously.

"Well, I'll still have my car, so I can just give you a ride," Marissa shrugs.

"I'm not going to ask you to drive me all around Newport tomorrow morning."

"You're not asking, I'm offering," the tall brunette reasons.

"She's got you there," Jodie remarks from the sidelines, enjoying the show.

"Will you shut up?!" Alex hisses vehemently at her friend. "When I say 'early', I'm not talking about noon or 2:00pm. We're talking about you having to be ready to go at 8:30 in the morning. That's six hours from now," she challenges with a quirked eyebrow. _That'll shut her up._

"Perfect," Marissa replies. "Then after I drop you back off here, Summer and I will be able to get to the mall when it opens," she smiles when she sees the smug expression drop from the blonde's face.

"Oh snap," Jodie drawls comically from the bar, earning a scowl from her friend.

"Fine," Alex relents with a sigh, too tired to argue anymore. "Give me, like, twenty minutes to put the cash in the safe, get my stuff, and yell at Jodie, then I'll be ready."

"Okay," Marissa grins triumphantly.

"Great," Alex replies, offering a fake grin. She grabs her friend's arm and drags her into her office, slamming the door shut. "Explain," she orders the brunette.

"Explain what?" A genuinely perplexed Jodie asks.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe why the hell you had to tell her I'd been crashing here this week? Oh, or maybe why you sided with her? You're supposed to be _**my**_ best friend, you traitor," Alex explodes.

Jodie's lips curl into a smirk. "Like I said before, just sleep with her already. Get Marissa out of your system and move on," she tells the younger girl.

"And like _**I **_said before, I'm not going to sleep with her just because I kind of find her attractive."

"The old Alex would've," the brunette grumbles, receiving a glare in return. "Look, Marissa obviously likes you too and this is clearly your chance. She's taking you to her house for sobbing out loud!"

"So what?" Alex growls.

"You're usually kind of a bitch to her, why else would she even make the offer unless she liked you?" Jodie reasons.

"She was trying to be nice?" The blonde ventures lamely. Judging by the expression on the older girl's face, it was a stupid guess. "Go home already!" She barks in frustration as she opens the door and shoves the older girl out of the room. Grabbing her messenger bag for school, which also happens to contain a change of clothes, she exits.

"Lover's quarrel?" Marissa jokes, referring to the disgruntled expression on Jodie's face and the frustrated demeanor of the blonde.

"You ready?" Alex asks, choosing to ignore the taller girl, despite a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Always," Marissa counters.

_**--**_

"This is your house?" A skeptical Alex asks as they pull up to the Cooper-Nichol mansion.

"Yeah, this is home," Marissa sighs softly, parking her car.

"That bad, huh?" The blonde asks, her tone genuinely sympathetic.

"I guess. Caleb is old and kind of creepy. My mom is kind of…" she trails off, unsure how to describe her mother.

"Vindictive? Controlling? Manipulative?" Alex ventures.

"I see you've heard of Julie Cooper," Marissa chuckles lightly, opening her car door.

"Not really. I just know the type," the shorter girl offers with a slight smile as she gets out of the car and grabbing her bag before shutting the door.

"Have a lot of Julie Cooper-Nichols back home?" Marissa wonders jokingly.

"Everyone from L.A. is like that," Alex responds half-heartedly. _I grew up with two parents that were like that._ Her smile falters.

"Are you?" The brunette jokes nervously, sensing the subtle shift in the other girl's demeanor.

"You think I'd tell you if I was?" She retorts with an arch of an eyebrow.

"I guess not," Marissa smiles before bringing a finger to her lips, signaling for the blonde to be quiet as they enter the pitch-black house.

Marissa unconsciously takes Alex's hand in her own so that she can lead her through the darkened house without incident. _Alex's hand is so soft and warm. Not all sweaty and calloused like Ryan's. It's a perfect fit._ She finds herself thinking, trying not to dwell on the thoughts too much or she may very well panic.

_She's holding my hand._ The blonde thinks with a dazed smile as she allows herself to be led through the house. _Marissa's so gentle and sweet. Nothing like Jodie who's all demanding and rough. _She allows her mind to wander, keeping her eyes on their joined hands. _Stop it! We're not about to have sex or anything. You're just going to sleep. Wait. __**Where **__am I going to sleep? _Once they reach Marissa's room and shut the door, Alex quickly pulls her hand out of Marissa's grasp and smiles awkwardly.

The tall brunette tries to hide her disappointment. _Oh my god. I freaked her out. She totally knows. _"So, here's my room," Marissa states obviously, standing uncomfortably in the middle of the aforementioned room.

_Why does she look so upset? _"I have to say, it's a lot less princess-y than I imagined," Alex smiles slightly, trying to ease the tension. _Oh my god. We're not both going to sleep in here. Are we? _"So. Where am I going to, um,…" she uneasily drifts off, unsure how to ask where she's sleeping.

"Oh. I figured we'd just sleep in my bed," Marissa shrugs, not thinking.

"Together?" Alex asks, trying to clarify the other girl's words.

This gives Marissa pause. _I just asked her to sleep with me…In my bed…Together. Stupid. Stupid._ "As long as you don't snore," she says, trying to hide her mental ramblings.

"I've never had any complaints," Alex flirts back, without thinking. "So, where can I go change?" She asks a moment later.

"Bathroom is through there," Marissa indicates her attached bathroom. The blonde nods and enters the other room.

"Thanks," Alex replies with a winning smile before entering the other room. She closes the door and begins to pace, running her fingers through her hair nervously. _I am sharing a bed with Marissa Cooper. Why me? Why? __**Why?!**_ She panics. _Be cool. You're just sleeping. Get into your sweatpants and wife beater. Get into bed and just sleep. No big deal. _She coaches herself as she gets changed.

As soon as Alex steps into the bathroom, Marissa immediately begins to tear through her dresser for something to wear. _Something cute. Simple. I don't want her to think that I'm going to try anything, but I still want her to notice. _She groans aloud. _I need to calm down._ She soothes herself before deciding on a simple black tank top and a pair of short girly pink boxers. A moment later, Alex comes back into the bedroom, setting her neatly folded clothes on her bag and pulling her hair up into a loose ponytail.

"So, do you always bring your pajamas with you to work?" Marissa asks, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Actually, if I sleep at the Bait Shop, I just collapse on the couch in whatever I'm wearing and just change when I wake up to leave. But I refuse to wear jeans if I sleep in an actual bed," Alex explains simply as she approaches the bed, taking out her cell phone to set the alarm.

"What time are you setting it for?" The taller girl finds herself asking, wondering how serious Alex was about having to be out the door at 8:30.

"8:15," the blonde simply replies. Upon seeing the shocked look on the other girl's face, she decides to explain. "I wasn't kidding. I have interviews starting at 10:00am and going until 5:00 in the afternoon. So I have to get home, shower, change, and get to work," she lists off, never breaking eye contact.

"Wow," Marissa replies, astonished.

"You didn't think running the Bait Shop was _**all**_ fun and games, did you?" She asks, smirking with amusement.

"I don't know what I thought." The brunette watches Alex get into bed. "You always sleep on the right side of the bed?" She finds herself asking out loud.

"Um, yeah," Alex replies, with a quirked eyebrow. "Do _**you**_? Because I will _**so **_fight you for it?" She jokes.

"No. No…I usually sleep on the left side," Marissa replies, earning a 'so, what' expression from the other girl. "It's just, most people sleep on the left side. You don't really get anyone that…" she trails off when the other girl begins laughing. "Shut up," she mumbles under her breath, fighting a smile of her own.

Alex gets control over herself after a few moments. "You're cute," she finds herself saying unconsciously as she makes herself comfortable. They both immediately pause. "You know, in a ranting crazy-person kind of way," she continues, clearing her throat awkwardly. _You suck Kelly. Just, shut the fuck up and stop being so lame._

"You have your moments too," Marissa lightly responds after a moment, her mouth having gone dry the moment she heard the blonde call her cute. _What did she mean by that? Does she like me or does she just think I'm some giant dork? Could she seriously be feeling this same…whatever this is?_ Marissa leans over to turn off the light on her nightstand, drowning the room in darkness.

They both rest on the extreme opposite sides of the bed, staring wordlessly into the dark and trying desperately not to think of the girl only an arm's length away. After several agonizing minutes of silence, Alex turns on her side to face the brunette.

"This is really weird, huh?" The shorter girl asks quietly, knowing full well that the other girl is still fully awake.

Marissa chuckles. "Yeah, a little," she sighs with relief, turning to face Alex. Her eyes are slowly becoming accustomed to the darkness and she is now just barely able to distinguish the outline of the blonde. She smiles softly as she studies the girl laying next to her, who is watching her just as closely, and feels her eyes begin to grow heavy.

Alex sees as the brunette's eyes begin to drift closed. She shifts subtly closer to her and gently brushes a strand of honey-brown hair off the other girl's face, allowing her fingertips to just barely tickle Marissa's jaw line before removing her hand. Marissa's eyes flutter closed at the contact.

"Goodnight Marissa," Alex just barely whispers before allowing her own eyes to shut, leading her into a fitful sleep.

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So, as usual, let me know what you think. You know I love to hear from readers…good, bad or indifferent.

Also, for anyone interested, I am also going to be posting the first chapter of a Thirteen/Cameron fic for _House, MD_ around the end of the week. Can you tell how much of an Olivia Wilde fan I am? ;)


	7. A Postcard Perfect Family

Once again, thank you for all the reviews, I'm glad people really seem to enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoy writing it.

**A/N**: I really like this chapter. It gives a lot of background on Alex's family and such and, added bonus, it's all Malex.

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**Chapter Seven- A Postcard-Perfect Family**

A low buzzing sound breaks the silence in the room. Marissa cracks open an eye. She goes to reach for her vibrating phone, but finds herself unable to move to get it. Looking down, she finds the reason why. Sometime during the night, Alex managed to drape her arm over Marissa's stomach to hold her close, spooning her from behind.

_If Alex wakes up with us like this, she's going to flip her shit._ Marissa laments with a sigh. She carefully picks up the blonde's arm and slides out from her grasp, immediately missing the warmth. Climbing silently out of bed, she picks up her cell phone and answers it right before it goes to her voicemail. _Who the hell would call me at 7:50am?_

"Hello?" Marissa whispers groggily, trying her best not to wake the other girl.

"Coop! How'd it go? Did you apologize?" Summer begins the second she hears her friend's voice.

Marissa winces and moves away from her bed. "I did and last night went fine," she responds, keeping her voice down.

"Where are you?" The enthusiastic brunette inquires.

"In my room. Why?" She asks, not sure why she changed the subject so abruptly.

"Why are you being so quiet?"

"Alex is still sleeping," Marissa replies, not bothering to think about how that could come across.

"Oh my god?!" Summer shouts into her phone, causing Marissa to have to pull it away from her ear in order to preserve her hearing. "You _**slept**_ with her?"

"No!" Marissa shouts back, regretting it the second she does so.

Alex rolls onto her stomach, pulling a pillow over her head. "Spray-painted puppies," she mumbles nonsensically, causing the brunette's lips to twitch into a fond smile.

"No. Well…yes. We just slept. She was going to sleep at the Bait Shop," Marissa says, as if it explained the presence of the other girl in her bed.

"I can't believe she actually let you drag her to your house in the first place."

"Me neither. It sucks though," Marissa sighs, despondently gazing at the other girl sleeping soundly in her bed.

"What does?" Summer asks, confused as to the other brunette's meaning.

"That, after such a long night, she has to be there by 10:00 this morning to clean up and interview new people to work there. Alex is going to be at the Bait Shop all day and all night," she informs her friend incredulously. _I don't know how she does it._

"Wow. So you have to take her back up there in a couple of hours?"

"Actually, we're stopping at her apartment first," Marissa corrects the girl on the other end of the line.

"Oooh. You get to see where she lives. Maybe she'll show you her _**bedroom**_," Summer lowers her voice suggestively.

"Funny," the taller girl deadpans, earning a laugh from her friend. Her attention is drawn to the bed as Alex begins to stir. "Hey, I'm going to have to call you later. We still on for the mall?" She asks briefly.

"Absolutely. Later Coop," Summer confirms before hanging up.

Marissa closes her phone and watches Alex carefully. She notes the slight twitch of her fingers, the way she scrunches up her nose, clenches her eyes shut, and tries to bury her face in the bedding. With a smile, the brunette hears a groan muffled by the pillow. Alex turns her head to face the taller girl, her eyes flutter open and she finds herself staring into Marissa's eyes.

Alex grunts something that sounds vaguely like, "Morning," but Marissa isn't positive. The blonde appears disoriented as she takes in her surroundings, momentarily forgetting where she is and why Marissa is there. After a moment, she turns to grab her cell phone and turn off the alarm before it can go off.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Marissa grins when she decides that the other girl is sufficiently lucid.

"What're you doin' up s'early?" Alex murmurs sleepily, still mostly asleep.

_She's so adorable. I wonder if she's like this every morning._ Marissa gushes to herself. "Summer called," she explains, indicating her phone.

"Oh," Alex yawns as she sits up. _Can I just call out sick and stay in bed with Marissa all day?_

"Sleep good?" Marissa asks, receiving a simple nod in response. "Better than the couch in your office?" She playfully inquires.

"I don't know, that couch is pretty comfy," Alex smirks back, waking up some before yawning once more. She gazes down at her watch with a frown.

"Looks like someone doesn't want to go to work," Marissa sing-songs cheekily.

"Please, when are you _**ever **_excited to be at the Bait Shop?" Alex shoots back, rolling her eyes.

"I seem to be looking forward to it more and more lately," the brunette coyly replies.

Alex simply regards her curiously. _Is she flirting with me?_ "Yeah? Well, I'll trade places with you. If I spend any more time there, I'd probably just move out of my apartment and into the Bait Shop all together," she sighs, somewhat seriously.

Marissa gazes affectionately at the other girl, with her blonde hair falling out of her ponytail from the night before. The bold purple streak falls in such a way that it frames her face and accents the other girl's piercing blue-gray eyes. _She's so beautiful._

"Um, give me five minutes and I'll be set to go," Marissa nearly croaks out, having momentarily lost herself in her thoughts.

"Sure," Alex responds easily. _Is she nervous? Did I make her nervous? I've been totally nice to her. She has no reason to be so…Unless, Jodie was __**actually **__right about her liking me back. Nah. _She reluctantly dismisses the thought.

A few minutes later Marissa exits her bathroom fully dressed and ready to go. "You all set to go?" She smirks, having caught the blonde girl making her bed.

"Uh, yeah," Alex blushes. "Sorry. Habit," she replies, vaguely gesturing towards the bed.

"You're welcome to come over and make my bed every day if you want," Marissa laughs.

"Let's go," Alex rolls her eyes with a slight smile.

"Yeah. I kind of want to get out of here before Mommy Dearest wakes up."

_**--**_

"You can just park up here," Alex says as they pull up to her apartment. As Marissa parks, Alex jumps out of the car and waits for Marissa on the sidewalk.

"What's the rush? Afraid we're going to get shot?" The brunette jokes.

Alex rolls her eyes. "Keep talking like that and I'll start to mistake you for my mom," she snorts as they make their way to her apartment.

"Sorry. Point taken," Marissa nods as they enter the apartment.

"Yeah. I know it's kind of a mess," Alex begins as soon as they walk in. "I really haven't had a chance to straighten up since school started back. Usually the only other person that comes over is Jodie," she explains.

"What's the story with you two anyways?" Marissa feels compelled to ask.

"Jodie and me?" Alex tries to clarify. The other girl nods. "Like how do you mean?"

"You two just seems really close. I know you said you were 'friends with benefits', but…I don't know," Marissa tries to elaborate.

"We used to date, like, 2 years ago. But we eventually just had to put a bullet in the head of _**that **_relationship," the blonde explains with a roll of her eyes.

"Was it really that bad?" Marissa wonders.

"Worse," Alex laughs it off. "But we're still really close."

"So I noticed," Marissa mumbles. "Why is that?"

"There's just a lot of history between us. We mean too much to each other to not be able to be friends or…_**whatever**_," Alex elaborates.

"You're like one of those couples that will always be a couple whether you're together or not?" Marissa guesses.

"Yeah, exactly! We haven't really been _**together**_ in forever, but we'll always be there for each other."

Marissa thinks back on something Alex said at the beginning of their conversation. "Wait. Two years ago? Isn't that when you were emancipated from your parents?" She inquires.

"Uh, yeah," Alex replies softly, breaking eye contact. "I'm going to go hop in the shower. I'll only be a couple of minutes," she says before bolting off towards her bathroom. "Um, if you're thirsty or anything, help yourself. I'm sure I have something other than beer in the fridge," she smirks briefly before disappearing into the back of the apartment.

Marissa is, at first, taken back by the sudden departure of the other girl. _Does Jodie have something to do with Alex's emancipation?…Duh! Of course. Her parents must have something against her being gay._ She smiles slightly at having figured it out. Her expression falls moments later. _Dammit! I must have really upset her by brining it up. Stupid, stupid._

Left alone, the brunette takes the opportunity to look around. Despite the other girl's earlier remarks, the apartment isn't actually a mess. Save for several empty beer and liquor bottles, the place is really very tidy. Marissa finds herself surprised by this. _I guess I really shouldn't be so shocked. Her office is the same way…Simple. Clean. Comfortable. It suits her._ She muses.

Deciding to take Alex up on her offer, Marissa finds herself in the kitchen. Looking in the refrigerator, she wonders briefly if the blonde lives on a liquid diet. _Beer. More beer. Orange juice…probably for the inevitable hang-over. _She settles on a bottle of water before chancing a look in the freezer. _Tequila. Vodka. Whiskey…Here's a girl who could really give me a run for my money. _

Marissa closes the freezer and steps out into the living room, her attention focusing on a broken picture frame, face-down under a beer bottle, on an end table by the couch. Turning it over, beneath the shattered glass of the frame, she sees a postcard-perfect family: A beautiful, upper middle-class couple with their two beautiful all-American children.

"I knew I had something other than beer in there," Alex grins triumphantly upon seeing the bottle of water in Marissa's hand. "What's that?" She asks, unable to see what is in the brunette's other hand.

"Uh, nothing," Marissa states nervously.

Disbelievingly, Alex walks over and looks at the photo in Marissa's hand. She stares at it with an inscrutable expression settling on her features, her eyes clouding over. "Things aren't always what they seem," she states cryptically as if having read the other girl's mind about the family being 'postcard-perfect'.

"Sorry," Marissa mumbles, unsure of the shorter girl's mood.

"Don't be," Alex brushes off. "I'm the one that slammed it down in a drunken rage and left it there," she tries to sound nonchalant, even offering a faint smile, she doesn't quite pull it off.

"Is this your family?" Marissa cautiously inquires, not trying to push the other girl too much.

"Once upon a time. But that's not my family anymore and it hasn't been for a while now," the blonde mutters the last part, almost sounding regretful.

Marissa studies the thoughtful expression on her boss's face for a moment. "Do you miss them?" It is barely a whisper, but Alex hears it, nonetheless, and looks up at her.

"Sometimes. But my friend's are my family now," the shorter girl asserts.

"I understand. Seth, Summer, and Ryan are practically my family. My dad is gone and my mom is so controlling. She wants to know every detail of my life. No matter what I do, she just won't let go and let me be," Marissa rants with distain at her mother's behavior.

"She must really love you," Alex replies with a slight smile at the other girl's relative innocence. The blonde takes the broken frame from her and goes to put it away.

Upon seeing the expression, Marissa understands that Alex's situation with her parents is so much more complex than her own. It's in this moment that she realizes how much stronger and more grown up the other girl is than her. She gazes over at her boss with a sense of respect and awe.

When Alex glances back over at the brunette, she sees the strange look on her face. "We should get going. Can't keep Summer waiting at the mall by herself," she smirks.

"Were you listening in on my conversation this morning?" Marissa asks incredulously.

"You listened in on mine," Alex quirks an eyebrow as she refers to her call with Scott the other day while she was at the Bait Shop.

Marissa clears her throat, embarrassed. "Right. Let's go then," she says simply.

_**--**_

On the short drive to the Bait Shop, Marissa can't seem to get her mind off of the happy family in the photo. Even the younger version of Alex, sans purple streak, seemed so content. _It couldn't have __**all **__gone downhill because they found out Alex was gay. Could it? And she didn't __**look**__ like some kind of delinquent. But Alex __**did **__say that things aren't what they seem. _Then there's the question of the other girl in the picture.

"Out with it," Alex instructs with a sigh.

Startled, Marissa shoots her attention at the other girl. "What are you talking about?" She asks, shaken from having been yanked from her reverie.

"Whatever is on your mind, just say it. If you don't, it'll bother you _**all**_ day and you'll bring it with you to work. Then, _**your**_ problem will become _**my**_ problem. So just ask already," the shorter girl rolls her eyes.

"Was that your sister in the picture?" Marissa asks.

Alex is silent for a long moment. "Yeah, it was," she finally replies softly. _I haven't thought about her in so long._

"You didn't mention her the other day, when you were talking about your family," Marissa notes carefully.

"I know."

"Were you close?"

Again, Alex is quiet, deep in thought. "Ashley was ten months younger than me and I would look after her when we were younger, but I stopped once I started high school. The more trouble I got into, the further we drifted apart," she informs the brunette, her mind far away.

"When you 'divorced' your parents, did you divorce your sister too?" Marissa snaps bitterly, feeling anger bubble up out of nowhere at the thought of the blonde abandoning her younger sister like that.

As Marissa pulls into the Bait Shop parking lot, it seems as though she isn't going to get her answer. She parks her car in front and turns expectantly towards the blonde. Alex opens the door and grabs her messenger bag. Before getting out of the car, she turns and looks at the other girl.

"Two months before I was emancipated, she killed herself."

With that, Alex exits the vehicle and leaves Marissa alone to stew in her car.

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Uh oh! The plot thickens.

Now, this is the point where I have to take a poll: should I bring Alex's family into the story or leave them out, only to be mentioned by Alex or Jodie? I've only just finished chapter 10, so if they do come in, it won't be until after chapter 11 or 12, so that's plenty of time to put your vote in.

So, that should be added incentive to review as well as letting me know if you love it, hate it, want me to add something. Tell me and I'll try and fix it or make it work.

**Also**, I just posted a _House, MD_ fic that I've been working on. I actually like how the story is going and, even though it's a little different than my usual stuff. But, I'm a little unsure about it seeing as how I only watch it because of Olivia Wilde is in it. And, yes, it is a fic about her character ;) So, if you like, after you review (hint hint), go check out **Taking a Chance**.


	8. Problem Solved

As always, thank you guys for the great reviews and I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying it.

I don't go back into Alex's family this chapter, but they are not forgotten.

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**_Where We Left Off_:**

_As Marissa pulls into the Bait Shop parking lot, it seems as though she isn't going to get her answer. She parks her car in front and turns expectantly towards the blonde. Alex opens the door and grabs her messenger bag. Before getting out of the car, she turns and looks at the other girl._

"_Two months before I was emancipated, she killed herself." _

_With that, Alex exits the vehicle and leaves Marissa alone to stew in her car. _

**Chapter Eight- Problem Solved**

Marissa watches as the other girl enters the Bait Shop, stunned at what she just heard. _Oh my god. Alex had a sister…A sister that killed herself. Wow. I just don't even-_ Her thoughts are cut off as her cell phone begins to sound. Looking down at the screen, she sees Summer's name come across.

"Hey Sum," Marissa greets in a daze.

"We're still on for the mall right? You aren't still in bed with Ms. Kelly, aren't you?" The shorter brunette chuckles.

"Ha ha ha," Marissa deadpans. "I just dropped her off 10 seconds ago. I'll be there soon," she says, struggling with whether or not to tell her best friend what she learned a few short moments ago.

"Everything okay Coop?" Summer wonders, picking up on her friend's mood.

"Yeah. It's just…I don't know. We'll talk when I get there, okay?"

"Sure. See you soon." They both hang up.

_**--**_

"Okay. Spill," Summer orders her friend the moment she spots her walking up.

"What?" Marissa asks, not understanding right away. "You mean about Alex?" She guesses after a pause.

"No, I mean about Lou the night janitor at Harbor and what the deal is with that unfortunate brown jumper he always wears," Summer rolls, earning a blank stare from the other brunette. "Of course I mean Alex!" She barks obviously.

"Well, for starters, she and Jodie aren't actually a couple" Marissa begins optimistically.

"That's good news…Kinda…Isn't it?" Summer questions as she sees the torn expression on the taller girl's face.

"Actually, their relationship is worse than them being a couple," Marissa asserts glumly.

"What are you talking about?" The shorter girl wonders, shaking her head to clear out the confusion.

"They are 'friends with benefits', as Alex put it," Marissa snarls.

"Oh," Summer blurts out, slightly put off. "Like fuck buddies or something?" She asks for clarification, receiving a glare for her trouble. "Okay, so how is that worse than them being an actual couple?"

"Also, they're _**best friends**_. So, clearly, they are really, really close. Probably closer than you and I are," the lighter brunette points out.

Summer pauses to stare at the other girl before her eyes widen slightly. "I love you Coop, but I am not going to sleep with you to prove that we are as close as Alex and Jodie," she says sternly, making sure to put her foot down on the matter. She then notices the horrified expression her friend is wearing. "I never said that," she awkwardly declares.

"Right," Marissa drawls, glancing at her friend strangely. "My point is that they are obviously close and Jodie doesn't like me."

"I don't get it," Summer says after a moment of trying to find the significance.

Marissa sighs slightly. "If you started to date someone and I told you that I didn't like them, didn't trust them or, generally, didn't approve of them, what would you do?" She asks the shorter girl slowly.

"I'd break up with him," is the automatic response.

"And if I dated someone _**you **_didn't like, trust or approve of, I would do the same," Marissa continues, still speaking slowly.

"Oh, so you don't think you stand a snowball's chance with Alex because Jodie doesn't like you," Summer finally catches on.

"Exactly!"

"Why?" The short girl asks.

Marissa just stares at the other girl incredulously. "I just spent the last five minutes explaining why Alex wouldn't want-"

"No! I get _**that**_ part," Summer interrupts. "Why do think Jodie hates you?"

"She thinks I'm a whiny little bitch, that I complain too much at work, and that I disrespect and undermine Alex's authority on a constant basis. Oh, and that I, essentially called Alex a dumb loser at school yesterday," Marissa sums up.

"Is that all?" Summer smirks sarcastically. "Was she there when you forced Alex to spend the night with you?"

"Uh, actually, she's the one that brought up the fact that Alex had spent the last few nights at the Bait Shop in the first place," the taller girl responds, her nose scrunching in thought.

"Really?" Summer asks, clearly shocked at this revelation.

"Yeah, she even encouraged Alex to stay over," Marissa elaborates before becoming thoughtful for a moment. "It was actually kind of weird because, earlier in our shift, Jodie and Alex were getting all close and I could've swore that Jodie was staring right at me and smirking that bitchy little smirk of hers."

"And yet you still think she hates you?" The shorter girl rolls her eyes.

"I don't know. What do you think because I am completely at a loss," she pleads, wanting some kind of an answer.

"Maybe she is _**trying**_ to make you jealous," Summer suggests idly. "Or, maybe she's _**trying **_to hook the two of you up. Or maybe, she is sadistic and enjoys watching you squirm like a bug on the end of a toothpick. Or-"

"I get it Sum. I get it," Marissa says, calming her increasingly agitated friend. "Why would she want to get the two of us together? Then she would be losing a _**fuck buddy**_," she continues, spitting out her friend's term with distain.

"Who knows?" Summer shrugs before glancing at something just past the other girl's shoulder. "Hey guys!" She greets to two approaching figures.

Marissa turns around, only to be greeted by the sight of Ryan and Seth. "Hey," she smiles awkwardly, not wanting the boys to interfere with her conversation.

"We figured you two would be at the mall today," Seth announces. "So, can we watch you try on clothes?" He practically begs, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. Summer smacks him with her purse.

"So, how's work?" Ryan asks his ex-girlfriend awkwardly.

"It's just so…I don't even know…There's drama," Marissa grimly informs the blonde boy.

Ryan furrows his brows. "Seth told me that she was actually being nice to you. Did it only last a day?" He wonders.

"She's being a bitch again?" Seth cuts in, finally turning his attention to the pair.

"No. She's actually been fine. It's just girl stuff," Marissa explains lamely, shooting a pleading look towards her best friend.

"Yeah just girl stuff. You know, having to work so closely with her former enemy and having six classes with her during the day. Alex is probably totally stressing by having to hire three people and, um,…" Summer trails off, not sure how she intended to finish that sentence.

"And not being able to take her frustrations out on me," Marissa supplies with a smirk.

"It sounds like she was taking her frustration out on Jodie at the Bait Shop," Summer mumbles, referring to the encounter her friend walked in on yesterday. This little outburst earns her a glare from the taller girl.

"Did you walk in on Alex and Jodie getting busy at the Bait Shop?!" Seth exclaims, his eyes widening slightly and a grin taking over his face. "Can you supply details? What they were doing _**exactly**_?" He asks desperately.

"Cohen, if your mouth keeps running, you are going to be sleeping alone for the rest of the year," Summer growls at her boyfriend. He shuts up.

Ryan shoots a surprised expression from the cowering boy over to Marissa. "I bet that was awkward," he understates.

"Uh, yeah," Marissa confirms with a slight smile.

"So they're dating?" Ryan asks, continuing without waiting for an answer. "I didn't even know that Alex was…um…you know, a…" he trails off, unsure how best to phrase it.

"A lady loving lesbian?" Seth supplies helpfully, shrinking back at the dangerous glint in his girlfriend's eyes.

"She's bisexual…and she and Jodie _**aren't**_ dating," Marissa explains, emphasizing the part about them dating.

"But you just said they were-"

"That's why Marissa has drama at work. She needs Alex to hire nice, stable people to balance out the bizarre relationship between Jodie and Boss Lady," Summer interjects.

Ryan eyes the two girls suspiciously. _Something weird is going on with them. It's something to do with Alex and Jodie. It's got to be more than Marissa just being weirded out by walking in on them._

"Like there are any 'nice, stable people' in Newport," Seth scoffs.

"You don't think I'm nice and stable?!" Summer rages at her boyfriend.

"No, I didn't mean _**you**_, I just meant…Help," Seth eeks out, trying to hide from his girlfriend's wrath.

Marissa keeps replaying her best friend's words in her head. _Nice, stable people. Hmm. Maybe if…There's no way that would even work. Alex would never even…But she __**did**__ ask if I knew of anyone…_

"Summer, you're brilliant!" Marissa announces, unwittingly preventing a humiliating battle between a skinny geek and his short angry girlfriend in the middle of the mall.

"But she just called Seth an asshat," Ryan points out, unsure why that makes the short brunette brilliant. Marissa cocks her head to the side as she glances over at her other two friends. Seth is crouched down by a trash can and Summer is staring over at Marissa, her purse poised over her head, getting ready to hit her boyfriend.

Slowly, Summer lowers her purse, much to Seth's relief. "What are you talking about?" She asks, her attention shifting over to her best friend, who finally announced her genius to the world…er, mall.

"Okay, I have an idea…" Marissa begins.

_**--**_

"I totally come here all the time. I heard that, if you work here, you get free tickets to all the concerts. Is that true? How long do you have to work here before you get the tickets. Is it a long time? I hope not because I _**really**_ want tickets to this concert in two weeks, it's-"

"Okay! Thank you," Alex grinds out at the bubbly blonde in front of her. "I'll let you know. Bye now," she says as she practically shoves the girl out of her office.

"Great!" The oblivious teen grins before exiting the club.

Alex, by now, is at her wit's end with lackluster applicants. She bangs her head down on her desk several times in frustration. _Four hours of idiots. _

"Why me?" Alex mutters pathetically. There is a faint knocking on her door. "Come back later!" She shouts through her door, her head still face-down on the desk.

"Alex?" Comes Marissa's confused voice through the door. "You busy?" She asks after a brief pause.

The blonde allows herself a moment to debate with herself on whether or not to see what the other girl wants. "It's open," she says finally, lifting her head off of the desk and feeling the inevitable headache beginning to set in.

Marissa opens the door just enough for herself to slip right in the door. She walks over and drops right into a chair across from Alex, who merely quirks a brow at the intrusion. The two are silent for a few moments.

"Can I help you?" A confused Alex prompts the brunette as the other girl's lips begin to curve into a smirk. _For the love of god, don't let her bring up Ashley._

"Have you hired anyone yet?" Marissa answers the blonde's question with one of her own as she noticed the fleeting look of fear flit across the shorter girl's face.

"No," Alex groans, half relieved at the question.

"Then I think _**I**_ can help _**you**_," Marissa grins.

_She sounds like a used car salesman._ Alex smirks to herself. "How's that Princess?" She humors the taller girl.

"You asked if I knew of anybody that needed a job the other day," Marissa says slowly in hopes of the other girl catching on.

"So what?" Alex rolls her eyes. "I was kidding, no need to remind me that I am _**still **_down three people," she grumbles.

"You are such a blonde," the taller girl mumbles, causing Alex to bristle slightly. "Anyways, as it turns out, I know three people who need a job," she smiles brightly at her boss.

"Don't fuck with me Cooper," the blonde scowls menacingly. "It's already been a long ass day and it is _**so**_ not even close to being over and the last thing I need is-"

"Hey Lex, did you know that you have three losers sitting around at the bar right now?" Jodie cuts in as she pops her head in the doorway to the office.

Alex shoots Marissa a shocked expression. "You were serious?" She questions even though she already has her answer. Marissa just looks smug.

"Do you want me to get rid of them or what?" An impatient Jodie asks.

"I'll be out in a sec," Alex assures her friend, never taking her eyes off the girl before her. "Um…I just assumed that…"

"You know what happens when you assume right?" Marissa jokes, referring to their conversation the previous day.

Alex actually laughs at this. "I guess _**I'm**_ the ass this time," she smiles. "Uh…Thanks," she offers shyly.

"Don't thank me yet. You don't even know who's out there," the brunette responds impishly.

"I don't care, they're hired because I'm tired of looking," Alex immediately replies as the pair stand up and make their way to the door. "Considering the shallow pool I dealt with today, anyone would…" she trails off upon seeing the trio Jodie is supervising at the bar.

"Hello Boss Lady," Seth immediately greets the stricken blonde with a grin.

"Alex," Summer acknowledges her with a warm smile.

"Hey," Ryan offers with an awkward half-smile, not really knowing the other girl very well.

"You guys are hired," Marissa repeats the blonde's earlier sentiments ecstatically.

Jodie smirks over at her friend, who is standing in the doorway to her office, her right eye twitching in irritation.

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Well, at least Alex's hiring problems at work are solved. Then again, this may only be creating a whole mess of new ones.

And so far, the vote is 2 people to keep out Alex's family and 4 people to bring them in. Still, it's not too late because I haven't gotten to a point where I can choose to bring them in yet...Added incentive to review (hint hint).

Also, for those of you interested, I also posted the second chapter of **Taking A Chance** over in the_ House, MD_ section.


	9. You Tricked Me

**A/N**: So, Alex's reaction to her newest employees. Fun. Also, both girls face up to some facts as far as their feelings are concerned.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_Hello Boss Lady," Seth immediately greets the stricken blonde with a grin._

"_Alex," Summer acknowledges her with a warm smile._

"_Hey," Ryan offers with an awkward half-smile, not really knowing the other girl very well._

"_You guys are hired," Marissa repeats the blonde's earlier sentiments ecstatically._

_Jodie smirks over at her friend, who is standing in the doorway to her office, her right eye twitching in irritation._

**Chapter Nine- You Tricked Me**

Alex shoots Marissa a dirty look. "A word?" She grinds out as she grabs the taller girl's forearm and drags her back into her office, not waiting for a reply.

"What?" Marissa rolls her eyes in exasperation.

"They're your _**friends**_" the blonde points out obviously.

"Duh," the other girl snorts back. "I'm not going to pick random homeless people off the street to bring in," she adds, earning her a withering glare from the shorter girl.

"Your always grumbling about how self-involved Seth and Summer are and how Ryan can be a total tool sometimes. Why the hell would you bring them here?!" Alex shouts.

"Oh come on, nobody says 'tool' anymore," Marissa sighs.

"_**That**_ is what you choose to respond to?! I just hired your lazy, flaky ass friends. You tricked me."

"Please, you hired them before you even saw who I brought," Marissa argues back. "Jodie is lazy and flaky too. She doesn't even _**pretend**_ to work most of the time, she just leans against the bar staring at your ass," she continues irritably.

"Don't bring Jodie into this," Alex snaps back. "She has nothing to do with them."

"So, what, she gets a free pass because you're fucking her?!" The tall brunette shouts. _God I hate Jodie. Hate. Hate! __**Hate!**_

"Shut up," Alex orders the other girl, getting in her face.

"Face it, your friend is no different than mine. You have to at least give them a chance," Marissa replies, softening her voice.

Alex takes a step back and runs her fingers through her hair. "Fine, but you're training them," she says blandly.

Marissa's smile falters. "Me?" she eeks out. "You've _**never **_had me train _**anyone **_before."

"That's because, until now, you were the new kid. Now they are the newbies and _**you're**_ training them. It's not like it's hard. They are doing the same thing you are and you've already been here for six months," Alex shrugs, seeking a sick sense of satisfaction in the other girl's discomfort.

"That's not fair," Marissa mumbles. _Conniving bitch._

"They're _**your **_friends," Alex reminds her, a smug smile crossing her face. "You should be able to control them," she adds.

"Yeah, but they'll be more likely to listen to you than to me," Marissa argues, causing the blonde to quirk an eyebrow, urging her to elaborate. "I'm their friend," she states slowly.

"I think we've already established that fact," the shorter girl rolls her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. _You're going to have to do better than that._

"Look, they won't listen to or respect me. Let's face it, _**you're **_the boss, not me."

"So?" The blonde challenges.

Marissa sighs. "You're the bitch that gives no one a chance _**not **_to listen to you. I mean, since you're so hot, Seth will probably do anything you tell him to," she responds, mumbling the last part.

"Nice try…And, by the way, calling me a bitch makes it pretty hard to go along with the whole 'being nice to you' thing," Alex mocks the brunette.

_Dammit_. "Please Alex, I-"

"Wait. Did you say that I was hot?" Alex cuts her off.

"Uh…" Marissa trails off, blushing slightly.

"You think I'm hot. I knew it," the blonde grins triumphantly.

"The _**hell**_ you did," Marissa replies shortly, realizing a moment too late that she just admitted it.

"No, it's cool," Alex softens her expression into a warm smile. "You're not so bad yourself," she continues, eying the brunette suggestively, leaving the other girl momentarily silenced.

The others wait awkwardly by the bar as Alex and Marissa argue in the office. Summer studies Jodie carefully, sizing her up against her best friend. _The mental image of her and Alex going at it will forever be burned into my psyche. Poor Marissa._

Jodie turns to glare at the other small brunette girl, having felt her watching her for the last several moments. _What the fuck? Do I have something on my face or something?_ She prepares to snap at the other girl, but it's cut off by Seth.

"What do you think is taking so long? You think they're making out in there?" Seth wonders aloud, earning him a smack on the back of the head from both of the girls.

"That's my best friend!" The two girls simultaneously shout at the boy.

Seth shoots a pleading look towards _**his**_ best friend. "Sorry, you had that one coming," Ryan shrugs.

"God Cohen. Do _**not **_embarrass me," Summer hisses.

"If Alex hears you say shit like that, she will kick your geeky little ass," Jodie snaps at him as well. "And, when she does, I _**will **_laugh," she adds with smirk.

"But, I was just-" Seth's inevitable rant is cut off when the office door comes swinging open when a smirking Alex comes back into the room.

"Okay guys, come back at 4:00 and Marissa will start training you for tonight," the blonde instructs the trio. "And _**do not**_ be late," she warns.

"Or what?" Seth asks, earning dirty looks from everyone.

Alex simply scowls at the boy. "Or you will have Jodie and me to deal with," she growls.

"So?" The boy continues.

"Trust me. Alex is a big enough bitch on her own without Jodie playing along," Marissa says, finally making an appearance from the office.

Alex looks over at the other girl strangely for a moment. "Uh, yeah. What she said," she agrees, glancing over to catch the knowing smirk on Jodie's face. "So, everyone go home and be back here at 4:00," she says.

"What? I thought I had to be here at-"

Marissa is interrupted by Alex. "That was _**before **_you had to train these three. You really need to learn how to listen. Remember, I told you in the office 5 minutes ago?" She sighs.

"But we discussed how _**you**_ would be better at-"

"No, _**you**_ whined about not wanting to do it, called me a bitch and then said I was hot. Nowhere in that conversation did I ever say that I was going to be doing the training," Alex points out, having interrupted the brunette once more. By now, the two of them had the undivided attention of everyone else in the room.

"You told Alex she was hot?" Summer asks after a moment

"Uh…We should really get going. I have some homework to do before work. So, yeah, let's just…leave," Marissa tumbles over her words, blushing furiously as she does so. She walks over and practically drags Summer towards the door, knowing the boys will follow.

"Bye Alex," Summer winks as she's being dragged away.

"See ya at 4:00...Boss," Seth grins before following his girlfriend and her best friend. Ryan simply offers a weak smile before leaving as well.

As soon as the other four teens exit the club, Alex sighs and runs her fingers through her hair in frustration. She looks over and notices the disapproving glare her friend is shooting at her.

"What?" Alex questions, not fully in the mood for the short brunette's attitude.

"You _**know **_what," Jodie points out accusingly. "She has you totally whipped…and you aren't even dating. You're totally her bitch," she growls.

"I'm _**nobody's **_bitch, okay Jo?" Alex immediately jumps to her own defense.

"Yeah right. Then why did you decide to just hire those three without first seeing that they were her friends? Why didn't you take back the offer when you _**did**_ find out?"

"Because I didn't want to spend the rest of my weekend interviewing these rich, shallow brats," Alex counters.

Jodie chuckles humorlessly. "You are such a fucking hypocrite Lex," she scoffs, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that once upon a time, you used to be a spoiled, rich, shallow brat yourself."

"That was almost four years ago Jodie!" The blonde shouts back, not appreciating the sudden outburst. "And, in case you haven't noticed, I am not the same person you met four years ago."

"No shit. Up until six months ago, when Marissa started working here, you were cool," the shorter girl responds.

"Why are you being like this? Where is all of this coming from?" Alex questions irritably.

"I'm just worried about you."

"You're worried about me?" Alex inquires incredulously. Jodie simply nods. "So, your way of showing concern for me is to dredge up how I was a fucked up, spoiled L.A. princess and how I'm suddenly lame because I'm most likely in love with Marissa and.." she trails off, realizing what she had just said.

Jodie stares at her wide-eyed. "Wait. You love her?" She asks quietly after taking a moment to take it all in.

_**--**_

Marissa and Summer are sitting awkwardly in Summer's car, having just dropped the boys off.

"So, care to explain what happened in Alex's office?" Summer finally asks, breaking the silence.

"Nothing happened," Marissa responds feebly.

"Except you telling Alex she's hot and…whatever else," the smaller girl points out.

"We were just arguing about me being the one to train you guys. I told her that since she was so hot, she wouldn't have a problem getting Seth to follow orders," Marissa shrugs.

"What's so wrong with being the one to do the training? Are we really that bad?" Summer asks, clearly insinuating that 'yes' would be the wrong answer.

"Of course not. I just never trained anyone before. It's bad enough that I've never done it, but I have to train three people at once," the taller girl groans in frustration.

"Well, Alex and Jodie are going to be there tonight too, right?" Summer wonders.

"Yeah, of course."

"Then it's not like you'll be all alone, they'll be around too if we have an questions or whatever."

"That's true I guess," Marissa concedes. "I still don't get how she got out of that argument in the first place though. Right after I said she was hot, she said I 'wasn't so bad myself', and then, next thing I know, I'm still training you guys," she shrugs, amazed.

Summer grins knowingly. "You are so whipped Coop. She has you whipped and she isn't even your girlfriend," she smirks.

"What are you talking about?" Marissa shakes her head, trying to keep up with her friend.

"I am talking about the fact that she said, and I'm paraphrasing here, that she thinks you're attractive and you practically melt," Summer explains.

"I didn't melt Sum. There was no melting going on," the taller girl is quick to defend herself.

"You were a total puddle and all…swoony. She had you wrapped around her little finger and conned you into training us. She's good. She's _**very **_good," Summer continues to clarify, saying the last part sounding more than a little impressed.

"Shut up," Marissa murmurs that being the best defense she has. "So…now what?" She questions, unsure how to proceed.

"I…don't know. I didn't really anticipate her having this kind of effect on you or you having as much of an effect on her as you clearly do, so I-"

"I have an effect on her?" Marissa asks, more than a little hopeful.

"Obviously," Summer rolls her eyes. Upon seeing the confusion on her best friend's face, she decides to elaborate. "Alex blindly decided to hire the people _**you**_ suggested without first meeting us. That means she clearly trusts you. When she _**did**_ meet us, she didn't take it back. _**That**_ means that she didn't want to hurt your feelings and insult your judgment."

Marissa takes this all in. "Makes sense," she mumbles, nodding in acceptance.

"Also, all of that adorable bickering you guys do…" Summer leads in a way suggesting that she knows something. "_**Definitely **_pent up sexual tension," she finishes, sagely nodding in self-approval.

"What?!" Marissa screeches blushing profusely. "We have no sexual tension…Do we?" She wonders meekly.

"Oh yeah," Summer replies obviously. "That being said: be careful," she warns.

"What are you talking about?" The taller girl asks.

"I'm just saying that you are both totally hot for each other, but neither of you have the greatest rep when it comes to relationships. She's doubly worse because she plays for both teams," Summer explains.

"What do you mean by 'not having the greatest rep'?" She questions, growing a bit angry.

Summer heaves a long-suffering sigh. "Look, you have broken a lot of hearts 'Riss and Alex has been known to…lose interest quickly, shall we say and break a few hearts of her own," she tells her friend, saying it in the nicest way possible.

"Are you saying that she sleeps around a lot?" Marissa asks incredulously.

"_**I**_ didn't say that…_**you**_ did," Summer quickly states defensively. "How is it you don't know any of this for yourself? You've worked with her for the last six months and know next to nothing about her. I've known most of this stuff since before I even met her, two days ago!" She snaps.

"I don't know! Whenever Alex's name comes up, I zone out because I don't want to know anything else about her. I'm afraid to fall even _**more **_in love with her!" Marissa shouts, frustrated.

"She's right…you can be totally oblivious sometimes," Summer murmurs. Suddenly, something Marissa just said strikes her. "Wait. You love her?" She asks, shocked.

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So, by now you should know the drill: let me know what you think. If you think it needs something or it's inconsistent in any way- plot holes or whatnot- let me know.

The score is now 3 people in favor of keeping Alex's family out and 5 to bring them in. I'll keep the question open until I post the next chapter, so let me know. Consider it extra incentive to review ;)

Also, note that I ave just added chapter 3 of **Taking A Chance** as well.


	10. Not Just Playing Games

I want to thank those of you that reviewed. I only had two of them and I hope that people are still enjoying this. Anyways...

**A/N**: I lost, like 2 pages from the middle of this chapter while I was writing it. My laptop just spontaneously shut down on me. So, the original version was much better, but I am relatively happy with this one too.

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**Chapter Ten- Not Just Playing Games And Breaking Hearts**

Alex sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. "I don't know Jodie. I just…there's something about her that I just can't…After all the crap I put her through these past few months…She **_actually_ **seems to care about me," she explains, quietly trying to articulate the thoughts swirling around in her head.

"Don't give me that crap!" Jodie barks. "You've had more than your fair share of people _**caring**_ about you in the four years that I've known you," the small brunette snaps.

"This isn't about lust. I'm talking about something deeper than just sleeping with someone. Marissa is different," Alex responds, saying the last part in almost a whisper. _It can't be love? Can it? _

"No," Jodie sternly says, having seen the pensive look on the blonde's face.

"'No' what?" A confused Alex questions.

"You are not considering getting serious with Newport's golden child. I will not allow it," Jodie answers, folding her arms across her chest.

"You won't allow it?" Alex asks, clearly amused. "Just last night you were insisting that I spend the night with Marissa and 'fuck her'. Explain yourself because I am struggling with trying to understand your logic," she continues.

"Last night I just had those annoying lingering gazes between the two of you to go off of. Today, I have to factor in actual feelings and I have changed my stance. It's not going to happen Lex," Jodie tells the other girl, a regretful look crossing her face.

"Why not?" Alex asks, clearly upset.

"Because it won't end well…for either of you. Marissa is going to hurt you because that's what she does," Jodie asserts, crossing her arms across her chest in a defensive manner. "I don't like the idea of the two of you getting together like that," she adds.

A look of realization flits across Alex's face. "You are unbelievable, you know that!" She shouts, throwing her arms in the air. "You are so afraid that I am going to actually fall for someone that isn't _**you**_. I bet you would rather me stay with you in our weird, fucked up friendship rather than finding someone that I could maybe have a _**real **_relationship with. You know that, because of Marissa, you and I will stop doing whatever it is that we do. Do you really hate me so much that you would get in the way of me being happy?" She accuses in a long-winded rant, her face becoming more and more red as she continues.

Jodie stands there, stunned, for several moments. "How could you even ask me that?" The shorter girl asks brokenly. "You can't honestly believe I feel that way," she states, on the verge of tears.

Noticing the state of her friend, Alex approaches the bar where Jodie is standing, her expression softening. "I'm sorry," she apologizes in a quiet tone, just above a whisper. "I'm just…My problem is with myself, not with you. I was just venting and you were convenient," she explains herself, knowing it is a crap excuse, but the only one she has.

Jodie breathes out a shaky breath. "I know, but it still hurts that you would even accuse me of trying to sabotage your well being over something as stupid as petty jealousy," she sighs looking up to meet her friend's eyes. "What is it about her?" She asks softly after several moments.

Alex shoots a quick glance at the brunette before closing her eyes and running her fingers through her hair. "I don't know," the blonde huffs out. "She's just so…I mean, it's like…" she keeps breaking up, not knowing how, exactly, to articulate her thoughts.

"Take your time," Jodie insists, placing a comforting hand o the taller girl's shoulder.

"She just…I don't know…cares?" Alex finishes, sounding more like a question. After a moment of silent contemplation, she nods her head with certainty. "Yeah. She cares about me in a way that no one ever has before…in a way that is just so…impossible," she finishes with a faraway look on her face.

"She care about you more than me?" Jodie questions jokingly arching a challenging brow in the process.

"I can't answer that," Alex replies seriously.

"So, even though you are a total bitch to her and have put her through hell for the past several months, the girl likes you?" The smaller girl wonders aloud, making sure that she has her facts clear.

"I think she does. Yeah," the blonde confirms.

Jodie sighs, hating what she has to say next. "I hope you know what you're talking about because Marissa is…Marissa likes to play games Al," she informs her friend, earning a confused expression in the process. "She goes out with people and them drops them like yesterday's garbage. She has really hurt a lot of people and I don't want you to become one of them…Especially considering how she's straight as hell without any real indication of her being interested in dating another girl," she clarifies, making sure that the other girl is fully informed of the fact regarding her newly discovered interest in Marissa.

"You know what they say Jo: most girls are straight…until they're not," Alex smirks, trying to appear more sure than what she feels. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen? She gets pissed off, rejects me, quits, and leaves me to hire yet another new person," she tries making light of it.

"I see that you really do like her. Would you _**really**_ be okay if she turned you down?" Jodie wonders. "I'd hate to see you get broken up over her rejecting you," she continues, trying to be careful about choosing her words.

The blonde's expression darkens despite her friend's attempts at being careful. "Jodie, my own parents rejected me two years ago. How much worse could it hurt if some girl I've only known for six months rejects me?" She growls out, scowling at the subject

"I'm sorry. You know I didn't want to pick at old wounds," Jodie replies softly. "I don't want you getting in over your head with this though and, if you're sure you want to give it a go, you know I'll back you all the way."

"I know," Alex nods, a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe it won't even go anywhere, but I have to give it a try."

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Jodie mumbles under her breath.

_Me too._ Alex shakes off her moment of self-doubt. "We'll see," she grins.

"Hey, I just don't want an excuse to say 'I told you so'…especially considering that I'll be the one left over to pick up all the pieces," Jodie explains herself.

"You can't protect me forever," Alex smiles fondly at the brunette. "Besides, you don't _**have**_ to say 'I told you so' every time I do something stupid. God only knows I don't say it every time _**you **_screw up," she smirks earning a punch in the shoulder for her trouble.

"Whatever," Jodie grumbles good-naturedly.

_**--**_

_Oh god! Did I just say that I love Alex? Do I really? Oh, crap!_ Marissa looks stricken by the accidental confession as she wonders if she meant it. "Yeah Sum, I think I do," she admits quietly, trying to get a handle on it for herself. The shorter brunette says nothing for several moments as she keeps her eyes on the road. "Sum?" She questions brokenly, waiting for a response…_**any **_response.

Summer glances briefly at her friend, noting her vulnerability. "Sorry. I just…wow," she says in a state of shock and awe.

"Do you hate me?" Marissa whispers, misreading the other girl's tone as something akin to disappointment.

"What? Coop, no. Of course not. I'm just shocked is all," the smaller girl rushes to correct her best friend. "I could never hate you because of who you fall for," she scoffs at the mere suggestion of it.

Marissa nods in understanding of the other girl's reaction. "I'm still kind of in sock myself. I never thought of myself as…gay," she explains, lowing her voice on the last word.

Summer looks over at her in amusement. "No Coop. I'm shocked that I'm shocked at all," she smirks.

After taking a moment to try and understand the statement, she gives up. "Huh?"

With a roll of her eyes, Summer explains herself. "You don't see how everything all kind of makes sense now?" She wonders, amazed that Marissa is unable to put two and two together to make four.

"What are you talking about?" A frustrated Marissa asks.

"Marissa, you're my best friend and you tell me everything. You always tell me everything about your relationships and, when you get around to breaking up, you always tell me why. Honestly, I don't know how I missed it," Summer begins, shaking her head at her own obliviousness.

"Sum, get on with it," Marissa snaps, wanting her friend to get to the point already.

Glaring, Summer decides to just skip to the good part. "You always have the same set of reasons for breaking up with these guys: there was just something missing, there was no spark, he just didn't 'get' you, he didn't turn you on, and that the sex was, well…unfulfilling."

"I know this already," Marissa whines, feeling more than a little embarrassed at the last reason. "This could all be due to the fact that I'm only 17," she points out obviously.

"Or, it could be due o the fact that you've been looking in the wrong places. Maybe a girl is exactly what you should've been looking for all along," Summer wisely replies.

"And you think Alex may be this girl?" Marissa skeptically questions.

"Yeah, I do," is Summer's serious response. "You guys have a certain chemistry and, you have to admit, there is a definite spark," she adds.

"Come on, the only reason she started being nice to me was so that she wouldn't have to hire yet _**another**_ new person," Marissa grunts.

"So, you think she just started opening up to you so that you'd stick around?" Summer questions rhetorically. "She didn't _**have**_ to tell you anything, but she did. I wonder why…" she trails off, purposefully trying to get the taller girl to fill in the gaps.

"Maybe she does like me…but she has never even hinted at being even mildly attracted to me. She's even gone out of her way to try and humiliate me at work. It just doesn't quite add up," Marissa argues, mostly to herself.

"So what? When we were kids, the boys that liked us would always pick on us. Maybe Alex is just picking on you because she likes you…she's almost like a big kid anyways, isn't she?" Summer asks with a shrug.

"In a way I guess," Marissa concedes, mentally going over every conversation she's had with the blonde.

"What's wrong?" Summer asks, noticing the distracted expression on the taller girl's face.

"She's just so…different from anyone that I've ever been with before. Like, I thought that my life had drama, but she's been through a lot Sum and I'm afraid that…" she pauses, not wanting to articulate her insecurities.

"You're just afraid that she won't see you as being as 'grow up' or 'mature' as she is?" Summer softly guesses the rest of the other girl's statement, earning a nod. "I haven't known her that long, but I don't think she's do that. As many arguments as I've witnessed and as many fights that you've described, she never once looked down on you because of it. She may get frustrated with you and occasionally call you 'Princess', but she doesn't judge you," she explains in hopes of reassuring her friend.

"Are you saying I should go for it?" Marissa meekly asks.

Summer averts her eyes momentarily. "I don't know. I mean, it's a bit of a loaded question," she sighs before seeing the confusion clouding the other girl's face. "You love her, that much we know. On the other hand, though, she has a longer list of casualties than you do. Alex has experience with guys and girls and, while I personally don't think that she meant to hurt any of them, she is still a heart breaker," she quietly finishes.

"So maybe I shouldn't go for it?" A dejected Marissa sighs. "This is so confusing. I mean, if she just hooks up with people just to dump them, then…I don't know, I just don't want to be another notch."

"On the other hand, if she really felt that way about you, then I would think that she would've tried something by now. She's hard to get a read on," Summer replies clearly frustrated.

"So, let's see. We have the fact that Alex has a decent size list of conquests and a history of breaking hearts. We also have the fact that she may only have been picking on me to hide the fact that she likes me, our undeniable chemistry, she trusts me enough to open up to me about how horrible her parents were, and…she trusted me enough to tell me about her sister," Marissa lists off the pluses and minuses of her relationship with the blonde bar manager, only pausing at the end to wave off her sympathy for the other girl.

"She has a sister?" Summer asks, surprise written across her face.

"She _**had**_ a sister," Marissa corrects, distracted. "Uh, I didn't tell you that though," she quickly says, catching her slip.

"Of course not," Summer nods in understanding.

The car pulls up in front of Marissa's house, but the two stay seated, pondering the results of their conversation. "So, I guess the good outweighs the bad," Marissa concludes.

"Yeah…It's just…" Summer pauses, not sure how to phrase her concerns. "From what you tell me, I don't think that Alex is the hard core, bad ass that she leads everyone to believe," she says reluctantly.

"I know that. She's just had a lot of stuff happen to her and she had to grow up fast," Marissa agrees. After a moment, curiosity gets the better of her. "Why? What are you thinking?" She asks.

Summer sighs and looks over at her best friend with a somber look on her face. "Maybe she sleeps around so she doesn't get her own heart broken," she bites her bottom lip, debating on whether or not to continue. "Look, I'm pretty sure she has feelings for you too and I just want you to be sure that you really do love her before you decide to try anything. I don't know if she would be able to handle just being an experiment," the shorter girl finishes seriously, never breaking eye contact with her best friend.

Marissa is silent for several minutes as she digests the other girl's words. "I don't want to hurt her," she confesses. "I'll see you at work," she smiles weakly as she steps out of the car.

"Okay," Summer replies with a short nod. _I sure hope she knows what she's doing._ She drives off to get some homework done before starting at the Bait Shop tonight.

Watching her best friend drive off, Marissa runs her fingers nervously through her hair. _I really hope I'm doing the right thing._

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So, sorry there weren't any Malex scenes in this chapter, but there will be plenty to make up for it in the next one.

As always, let me know what you think of this story. If it's missing something, let me know and I will do what I can to fix it.

Also, chapter 4 of **Taking A Chance** is up in the _House, MD_ section.


	11. Closer

This chapter was really fun to write and I just felt like giving Seth a hard time for no real reason.

Sorry this chapter is so long. I knew exactly where I wanted it to end, but it took longer to get to it than I thought it would. I'm a bit...unsure about the last scene, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know if I pulled it off okay.

Enjoy.

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**Chapter Eleven- Closer**

"Dude, it's already 4:15. Alex is going to be pissed that we're so late," Ryan comments from the passenger seat.

"Come on buddy, I'm sure Alex is just all talk. Besides, even Marissa admitted that she wasn't really all that bad," Seth retorts from behind the wheel.

"I don't know Seth. She seemed pretty serious earlier today. I don't really want to test her…especially considering some of the stories that Marissa told us about how Alex can be," the blonde replies cautiously.

"Nah, I think she likes me," Seth grins, wagging his eyebrows in, what he assumes to be, a suave manner.

Ryan resists the urge to laugh. "I think that you're completely delusional if you think that she is even remotely interested," he points out realistically as they pull into the Bait Shop parking lot.

"No, seriously. I think she was checking me out," the dark-haired boy argues, trying not to whine.

"Good thing you have Summer to keep you from saying or doing anything remotely idiotic around her," Ryan chuckles to himself as they approach the side entrance.

"I'm just saying Man, if I wasn't with Summer, I'd totally hook up with Alex," Seth replies seriously as they walk into the Bait Shop.

"Or not," Ryan mumbles to himself as he sees Marissa looking incredulous, Summer appearing completely pissed off, Jodie trying not to laugh, and Alex looking absolutely enraged.

Seth at least has the decency to look embarrassed. "Alex! Hey, how's-"

"I swear to god that your next words had better be some brilliant Mark Twain shit because they are sure as shit going on your fucking tombstone," Alex growls out before he can finish his sentence. This effectively shuts him up.

Summer looks between the blonde and her boyfriend for a moment. "Will you be my new best friend?" She asks with a delighted grin. At this point, Jodie can no longer hold it in as she starts laughing hysterically from her position by the bar.

"If you're finished.." Alex trails off, shooting her best friend a scathing glare, quickly silencing her. "You," she points to Seth, "are cleaning the bathrooms," she barks out, throwing a pair of yellow, rubber cleaning gloves at his head.

"Hey, you almost hit me!" He whines as he moves out of the way just in time.

"Do you want me to try again?" Alex questions before thinking for a moment. "And do you really want 'hey, you almost hit me' engraved on your tombstone?" She asks rhetorically. He opens his mouth to say something, but she narrows her eyes. "I mean it, I don't want to hear another word from you all night. If you have any questions or whatever, ask Marissa or Jodie," she growls.

Seth considers this for a moment before pulling Ryan over to him and whispering in his ear. "Um, he said that he doesn't know how to clean the bathrooms," the sandy-haired boy speaks for his friend.

"That's perfect. He has the rest of the month on bathroom duty…That way he can fucking figure it out," Alex responds shortly. Seth opens his mouth to protest. "Do you want to make it two months?" She quirks an eyebrow. He shakes his head and shuts up. "Okay. I'll be in my office doing paperwork if anyone needs me," she nods before disappearing into said office.

"Wow Coop, I see what you mean with her being a bitch," Summer comments to her friend, slightly in awe.

"She's not being a bitch," Marissa replies defensively, earning her an 'oh really?' expression from the shorter girl. "Okay, maybe a little bit. But she's good at her job and she's not too bad of a boss once you get used to her," she backs up her statement.

"Right. You're girlfriend almost made Cohen wet his pants because that's what a good boss does," Summer rolls her eyes good-naturedly.

"Sum, you do realize that he said that he wanted to sleep with her, right?" Marissa asks, trying to get on the point of why the blonde bar manager went ff like she did.

"That's right! I'd better go give him a piece of my mind," the smaller girl fumes as she goes to give Seth the second assault on his manliness in less than ten minutes.

"Girlfriend?" Jodie asks as she approaches Marissa, having heard their conversation.

"What?" A very lost Marissa inquires, unsure as to what the other girl is talking about.

"You're friend called Alex your girlfriend," Jodie elaborates, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, she was just joking," the taller girl nervously replies, hating that she is still intimidated by the smaller woman.

"That's too bad," Jodie smirks, eyeing the other girl carefully. Before Marissa can ask what she means by that, Jodie's attention is brought back to the bar. "Hey! Put that down!" She yells at Summer, who is threatening to beat Seth with a bottle of tequila.

"Cohen, if you value your life-"

"I said put it down or so help me god I will get Alex back out here to deal with your ass!" Jodie warns as she walks over and pulls the bottle out of the other girl's hands.

"Hey!" Summer protests.

"And shouldn't you be cleaning the bathrooms?" Jodie directs at Seth, completely ignoring the other girl. He just stares blankly at her. "Hello? I asked you a question. Are you stuck on stupid or what?" She asks rhetorically.

"But Alex said not to say-"

"Not to talk to_ **her**_ you moron! I ask you something and you answer. Now, go clean the bathrooms before I shove this bottle up your ass," she orders him "Yo, blonde guy," she calls to Ryan. "You are going to go to the storeroom with me to help get the bar stocked for tonight," she directs.

"What about me?" Summer asks enthusiastically from behind the other woman, her earlier rage all but forgotten.

"Marissa, you and Crazy Bitch pull down the chairs and wipe down the tables," Jodie instructs, not wanting to engage the small volatile brunette. "Alex, why…oh _**why**_, did you have to stick me with babysitting the children?" She laments to no one in particular.

_**--**_

Since Jodie pulled Alex out of her office an hour ago, Marissa hasn't been able to keep her attention away from the blonde in the bar in the middle of the club. _What is wrong with me? I never used to watch her like this. I never used to watch her at all. Stupid Summer started this by having me ask Alex to be nice to me. Stupid Summer. _Marissa is thrown out of her musings as someone slams roughly into her back, almost making her topple over.

"Watch where you're going," some random frat guy barks drunkenly as he pushes past her without a second thought.

"Sorry," the tall brunette mumbles out her apology before moving so that she stands up against the wall and out of the way. She turns her attention back to the center bar, only to see Alex shamelessly flirting with another girl._ Alex can't possibly find that…bimbo attractive._ She snorts incredulously. Somehow, she finds herself right behind Alex on the inside of the bar.

"Alex!" Marissa nearly shouts in an effort to be heard over the music.

The blonde in question is momentarily startled as she jumps and turns to face the taller girl. "What?" She questions, feigning irritability.

"What are you doing?" Marissa asks, holding back her irrational anger and jealousy.

"Are you serious?" Alex arches a skeptical eyebrow at the other girl, receiving a hard glare in return. "Working. What are _**you**_ doing with enough free time to come over her and bother me?" She bites back, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Well, last time I checked 'picking up girls' was not in your job description," Marissa growls derisively.

"Huh, well, last time _**I **_checked, I was still your boss, not the other way around. So, unless there is something specific you want then you should get back to work," Alex indignantly retorts.

From across the club, Jodie watches the scene unfolding from the bar on the wall. As he passes by, she grabs Ryan by the arm.

"Go tell Marissa I need help over here," the small brunette orders, not taking her eyes off of the pair.

"What do you need because I can…" the sandy-haired boy trails off as he sees what has gained the other woman's attention. "Okay," he agrees after a moment.

"Well, we wouldn't even be having this conversation if _**someone**_ was able to keep her hormones in check," Marissa pointedly grinds out towards the blonde bartender.

"Why the fuck do you even care?"

"Hey Alex, I'm just going to go. I didn't mean to get you in trouble with your girlfriend…that I didn't even know you had," the bimbo offers, sending a slight glare at the blonde and a sympathetic smile at the brunette.

At the brush-off, Alex turns on Marissa, preparing to yell at her for getting involved with her personal life. "Don't give me that look. She's a total slut," the brunette declares, folding her arms defensively across her chest.

Before Alex has a chance to respond, Ryan shows up behind her. "Marissa, Jodie needs you at the other bar," he informs his ex-girlfriend, eyeing the pair dubiously before turning and walking off.

"You and I _**will**_ talk about this later," Alex informs the taller girl. She turns around and starts to take drink orders from the people around the bar as Marissa stalks off.

On her way to the bar on the other side of the club, Marissa's righteous indignation completely dissipates. This leaves her with nothing but an 'oh shit, what have I done?' feeling.

"A little early in your relationship to be pulling the whole 'jealous girlfriend' routine, isn't it?" Jodie ponders aloud to the taller girl.

"Huh?" Marissa eloquently inquires as she turns to face the smaller woman, unaware that they were standing so close.

"You and Alex," Jodie begins, indicating the blonde in the center bar. "Usually two people have to actually be dating before one can act like a jealous girlfriend," she explains, having witnessed the entire scene from her current vantage point.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Marissa mumbles lamely, keeping her eyes trained on the blonde.

Jodie merely rolls her eye. "Please, get over yourself. You are a terrible liar and you are horrible at being discreet. You've been checking her out since you started working here."

"No I haven't!" Marissa erupts, perhaps a little too defensively.

Staring at the naïve girl before her, Jodie comes to a sudden realization. "You've been totally in denial this entire time, haven't you? I thought you were just a spoiled little Newport princess that was scared that she was falling for some chick, but you aren't, are you?" The shorter woman's tone goes from amused to pensive.

"I don't…I'm not…" Marissa tries to argue, not sure of Jodie's feelings on the matter.

"You like her so much that you tricked yourself into thinking that you hate her. Classic," Jodie actually laughs at this.

"Glad to see that you find this so amusing," Marissa snaps.

"Don't get mad at me because you're acting like a total ass," Jodie quips. "Just because the two of you express our love for one another by being raging bitches to each other is not my fault," he further defends herself.

"'The two of you'?" Marissa repeats the other girl's words back. "That would mean that she-"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell her I told you…Even though I probably shouldn't be too worried since she's gone all soft and lame recently which, by the way, I fully blame you for that," Jodie points out obviously.

"Of course you do," the tall brunette grumbles.

"Anyway, my suggestion to you would be, when she goes to yell at you in her office later, just fuck her on her desk," Jodie nonchalantly advises.

"I'm not going to do that!" Marissa practically screeches.

"Why not? It'll cure that oppressive sexual tension between you guys as well as prevent her from getting too pissed off at you," she shrugs.

"Or…I could just tell her," the other offers her alternate suggestion.

"You could, but that would just be…boring," Jodie scrunches up her nose in disgust.

Marissa simply laughs.

_**--**_

Just after closing, Alex is sorting out the cash and credit slips in the register as she takes a look around at the other employees running around.

Ryan is helping Summer pick up the chairs and place them on the tables. Seth has just exited the men's restroom and is putting the mop and bucket back in the supply room. Marissa is wiping down the bar on the far side of the club and, amazingly, Jodie is actually working as she cleans the glasses out.

Alex runs the transaction reports before slipping quietly into her office to lock the money up. She goes back into the main area of the club, satisfied that the place is in good condition for the night.

"Hey guys!" Alex calls, effectively gaining their undivided attention. "So, contrary to what I initially feared, tonight wasn't a complete disaster and, as much as I hate to admit, you three did a pretty decent job," she states in reference to Ryan, Seth and Summer.

"Is this your roundabout way of saying 'good job, now go home'?" Jodie snarks.

"Good job everyone. Now, go home and be here tomorrow by 5:00. Do. Not. Be. Late," Alex rolls her eyes at her friend before turning serious and shooting a, relatively, tame glare at Seth at the last part.

"Sweet. Later," Jodie grins before practically running out of the building. There is a brief round of 'bye's and 'see you tomorrow's as the other four go to leave.

"Oh, uh…Marissa? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Alex asks, catching the other girl before she has a chance to get out the door.

"Yeah," Marissa replies hesitantly. "I'll see you tomorrow Sum," she says to her friend, signaling that it was okay for her to leave.

"Right," the darker brunette draws out. "Call me," she whispers loud enough that only Marissa can hear. Marissa merely nods in response.

Once the other girl is gone, the brunette looks up to say something, only to be met with Alex's back as she makes her way to her office. Shaking her head slightly, she wordlessly follows her manager. _I will not stare at her ass. I will not check her out. I will_-

"I just wanted to talk about what happened earlier at the bar," Alex states, effectively tearing the other girl from her thoughts.

"Yeah, about that…" Marissa trails off, embarrassed at her obvious jealousy.

"It was kind of…" Alex begins, not sure exactly how she would describe the whole encounter. _Weird. Unexpected. Is it wrong that I'm happy she was jealous?_

"I don't know what happened. She just gave me bad vibes I guess," Marissa shrugs, sure that, though lame, her excuse was somewhat close to the truth.

"How sweet! You were protecting me," Alex jokes good-naturedly, holding her hands over her chest. Marissa simply smiles and rolls her eyes. "I am sorry that I overreacted," she genuinely apologizes.

"Me too. It really wasn't any of my business," the brunette says, mostly to herself. "I mean, even if we're…never mind," she covers, trying to remove the lingering thought from her mind.

"What?" Alex prods gently noting the faraway look on the other girl's face as she gently takes her arm.

"After these last few day I just feel…a lot closer to you," Marissa begins to confess, but gets thrown off as her own insecurities and doubts flood her mind. She glances at the desk and gets the image of her and Alex following Jodie's suggestion and having sex on the desk. _Damn you Jodie._

"Closer?…Like friends?" Alex prompts quietly, just above a whisper, her hand still loosely holding on to the taller girl's arm.

At the soft sound of the blonde's voice, Marissa turns her attention back to her. Alex's blue-gray eyes are boring into her with a kind of searing intensity. Her gaze sharp and unwavering. Marissa lowers her gaze and watches as Alex unconsciously wets her lips with the pink tip of her tongue. The way she anxiously bites down gently on her lower lip, the only visible sign that the blonde bar manager is at all nervous.

After searching the shorter girl's face for several moments, Marissa's expression shifts subtly from unsure to satisfied and determined. She has the answer to her unasked question.

As if sensing how much she is into the other girl's personal space, Alex attempts to step back. Marissa prevents her from doing so as she brings her free arm up and places her hand firmly on the back of the blonde's neck. She takes a short step closer as she slides her other arm out of Alex's grasp before running her hand slowly up her arm to rest on the shorter girl's shoulder.

Now they are standing close enough so as to be sharing each other's breath. Alex's eyes flutter shut as she takes the time to savor this moment as she feels herself moving forward.

They meet halfway in a simple kiss, no more complex than faintly brushing their lips together as first. It doesn't take long for it to multiply in its intensity as Alex brings one hand to the back of Marissa's head to pull her face closer. Her other hand wraps around the brunette's waist and brings their bodies flush against one another.

At the contact, the blonde moans softly into the other girl. Marissa takes the opportunity to thrust her tongue into Alex's mouth and deepen the kiss. Somewhere along the way, Marissa managed to pin Alex between her body and the desk. A moment later, they break apart, their breathing ragged.

Marissa reluctantly opens her eyes, finding the other girl's still shut. She brushes a strand of golden blonde hair off of the shorter girl's face. Alex opens her eyes to an almost giddy grin on the taller girl.

"I'd have to say no…Not like friends at all," Marissa smirks lightly, answering the blonde's earlier question. She gives the shorter girl a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you tomorrow Alex," she smiles warmly before exiting the office, leaving the blonde bar manager standing there, grinning like an idiot.

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So, if you think that it's going to get easier for Alex and Marissa after this, well...you'll just have to wait and see. It's no fun if it's easy ;)

Don't forget to let me know what you think because I'm a little self-conscious about the kiss at the end and I'm not sure if I'm happy with how it turned out.

Also, I have Chapter 5 of **Taking A Chance** up so don't forget to check that out too.


	12. Visitor

Review make me happy. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. This one isn't as long though.

**A/N**: I'm sure that a few of you guys are going to hate me after this chapter. Not only is there no real Malex interaction, but…well, you'll see.

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**Chapter Twelve- Visitor**

After a good night at work resulting in Alex practically floating home on memories of her kiss with Marissa, the blonde is rudely awakened by a loud banging sound on the door to her apartment. She glances at her clock before releasing an irritated groan. In an attempt to go back to sleep, she pulls a pillow firmly over her head to drown out the sound.

"Alex! Wake your ass up!" A man's voice shouts through the door.

Pulling the pillow off of her head, the blonde slumps out of her bed and makes her way to the living room. Opening the door a crack, she sticks her head out to glare at the man on her doorstep

"You better have a damn good reason to be waking me up at 9:00 in the fucking morning," she grumbles sleepily.

"Don't be such a lazy ass," he rolls his eyes.

"It's not being lazy if I didn't get in the door until quarter to three this morning. I've gotten less than six hours of sleep because _**you **_are too much of a bastard to come down here to help manage your own goddamn club," Alex growls.

"Ally, come on. You know how it is in L.A. So much to do and I have my other club to run," he shrugs, paying no mind to her caustic tone. "You going to let me in or not?"

"I'm thinking 'not' at this point," Alex tries to sound menacing, but falling short as she yawns halfway through her sentence. "Look Uncle Scott, as much fun as it is talking to you, I'd really like to get back to sleep," she sighs, feeling bad for having snapped at him like she did.

"Don't you want to know why I stopped by?" Scott questions slyly.

Alex actually pauses to think about this. _He never drops by my place. __**Never**__. Scott always drops by the Bait Shop to handle business._

"Why?" She relents as she moves out of the way so that he can enter.

"Well, when I was in L.A.," the older man begins as he takes a seat on her couch, quickly making himself comfortable, "I spoke to your parents and-"

"I don't want to hear it," Alex cuts him off as she defiantly folds her arms across her chest and strikes a defensive stance.

"I think you do," he argues. "Trust me, you want to hear this. It's good news, I promise."

"Did one of them finally keel over?…Because, you know, it's medically impossible for a human to survive without a functioning heart. I'm surprised they've lived as long as they have," the blonde sneers.

"That's not fair Alex!" Scott barks back.

"How can you even say that with a straight face?!" An incredulous Alex shouts. "They kept kicking me, their own daughter, out of the house. They didn't even want me to be part of their family anymore."

"Tracy and Steven _**wanted **_to try and make it work, but even you have to admit that you were out of control," Scott attempts to reason.

"Yeah, but a parent is _**not **_supposed to give up on their kid. They just let me go without a fight," Alex sighs sadly, her anger beginning to give way to sadness.

"_**You **_were the one that petitioned the court to get emancipated."

"If they didn't sign, then it never would've happened. They were all to happy to get rid of me," the blonde girl scoffs.

"What were they supposed to do Ally? Keep you there against their will?"

"Yes! That is exactly what they should've done. They never should've let me walk out on them like that," Alex explains obviously.

"If you didn't want to leave, why did you try and get emancipated in the first place?" Scott wonders, growing increasingly frustrated.

"I didn't want to stay if _**they **_didn't want me there. I figured that, if they loved me, they wouldn't let me go. I guess I got my answer," she sighs miserably as she drops down onto her couch next to her uncle.

The older man pulls her into a loose hug. "Why would you think that they didn't love you?" He questions softly.

"Aside from them repeatedly kicking me out and telling me how much of a screw-up I am?" She asks him sarcastically.

"Yeah, aside from that," Scott replies with a soft smile.

At this, Alex stands back up and takes in a shaky breath as she runs her fingers through her hair and starts to pace. "They blamed me for Ashley," she explains, not able to look her uncle in the eyes as she does so.

"What the hell would make you even think that Alexis?!" Scott exclaims sharply.

"I could just…_**see it **_in their eyes whenever they looked at me. They didn't have to say anything because I could just read it. Every time they looked at me, it was like they were accusing me," she informs him stoically.

"That's bullshit, they-"

"No, after I started to get into trouble and pull away from her, she started to get depressed. Everyone saw it but me. I was too self-absorbed to see how much I was hurting my little sister. If _**anyone **_could have helped her, it was me…and I totally failed her," Alex expresses herself, tears pooling around the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

"Ashley killing herself is _**not **_your fault. Nobody blames you, but you. Not your parents, not me, and, if given the chance, Ashley herself would tell you that it wasn't your fault," he says in a soothing voice, trying to calm his niece.

"Right, well, after she died and the worse I got, Tracy and Steven all but stopped talking to me. Every time we would even start arguing, they would just shut down and walk away. It was like they couldn't even stand the sight of me. Like they were afraid I'd drive them to suicide too if given the chance," Alex continues, the last sentence spoken mostly to herself.

"That isn't it at all Ally! Has it ever occurred to you that they were blaming themselves and not you?!"

"What?" Alex asks, clearly bewildered by the question.

"They blamed themselves and every time they kicked you out, it was because they didn't know what else to do. That's why they would keep begging you to come home."

"But why didn't they ever try to talk to me or, even argue back?" Alex wonders, just barely above a whisper.

"Because they were afraid that you'd kill yourself next," Scott blurts out.

"Oh," is all that Alex can manage at the moment.

_**--**_

Across town, Marissa is laying out by the pool wearing a bikini and her sunglasses. She let her mind fill with thoughts of a certain blonde boss of hers. _Alex's lips are so soft and smooth. She tasted like watermelon lip gloss and…something else, I don't know. Her body fit perfectly against mine and her hands on my skin and tangled in my hair was just so-_

"Coop!" Summer shouts, standing directly in front of her best friend.

"Uh…huh? What is it?" Marissa asks as she comes crashing back to reality.

"I've been calling your name for the last five minutes. What's your damage?" The small brunette asks her friend with concern.

"Nothing Sum," Marissa replies, a blissful grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Why are you suddenly so happy?" Summer questions suspiciously before her eyes light up. "Did something happen with you and Hot Boss Lady last night?" She asks, fishing for info.

At this, Marissa can't hold back the grin that has been threatening to escape since her mind started to wander towards the blonde. "Yeah," she answers, giddy with excitement.

"Well, what happened?" Summer prompts before pulling a face. "I just don't want any details if they involve the two of you getting all naked and sweaty in her office. Keep those to yourself," she adds.

Marissa simply rolls her eyes, still not able to wipe the grin off of her face. "We kissed," she dreamily replies.

"You kissed huh?" Summer smiles knowingly at her friend's expression. "How did that happen?"

"We were just talking one minute and the next minute…we had a moment that was just…charged, you know?" Marissa asks rhetorically, glancing at her friend long enough to receive a nod. "I stepped closer to her and I could see that it was making her a little nervous. She was so cute," she stops to reflect on the thought for a moment. "Then, we kissed and it was…wow. If we hadn't have pulled apart when we did, then we wouldn't have been able to just stop at the kissing."

"Ew Coop! I told you that I didn't want to know about you and Alex getting all naked and sweaty," Summer answers, scrunching up her nose.

"We didn't have sex, Sum…I promise not to tell you when we do if you're going to be all like this," the taller girl grumbles.

"No way! I'll want you to tell me…just not with any details," Summer replies, earning her small laugh from her friend. Suddenly, the shorter girl's expression turns to one of amusement.

"What?"

"You said that Alex was cute," Summer chuckles.

"So, how is that funny?" Marissa ask in confusion.

"I'm trying to picture bitchy, bad ass Alex being cute…I just can't do it. All I keep seeing is her yelling at Cohen and making him almost pee himself," the small brunette begins to laugh.

"I know…If I hadn't seen it for myself…" she trails off, a smile firmly planted on her face.

"So, what are you guys going to do next? Are you going to date or what?" Summer finds herself asking as soon as her giggles die down.

"I don't know. I'm kind of hoping to talk to her after work tonight," Marissa answers back, glad that her love life seems to be looking up.

_**--**_

"You know, I still haven't had the chance to tell you the good news," Scott tells his niece after they are silent for several moments. She looks at him expectantly. "You have a new baby sister," he tells her.

"What? Since when?" Alex asks, completely dumbstruck.

"Yesterday. That's why I couldn't come down here to help you hire new people. I was in L.A. while my sister-in-law was in labor," he explains.

"Wow. So, what's her name?" Alex croaks out, her mouth completely run dry.

"Andrea Elizabeth Kelly," Scott smiles fondly. "They wanted to tell you themselves, but they knew you wouldn't talk to them if they called."

"They'd have been right," Alex replies honestly as she sits heavily into a chair. "So, wow…I just…Wow," she babbles, completely at a loss.

"They…" Scott hesitates, not sure how well his next statement is going to be received. "They sent me to tell you about Andrea and tell you that they never stopped loving you, no matter what you may think. They want you to come up to L.A. and meet your baby sister," he informs her, never meeting eye contact.

The blonde mulls this over for several moments before coming to a decision. "When do they want me to come up?"

"Today. That's why I stopped by so early," Scott answers, his mood lightening up as he hears this.

Alex nods before grabbing her cell phone off of an end table and dialing an all-too-familiar number. "Jodie?" She asks into the line.

"This 'ad better be fuckin' 'mportant," the groggy brunette growls into her phone.

"I have to go to L.A. today and I probably won't be back until late tonight," Alex explains.

"So?" Jodie grunts.

"I'm not coming in," Alex informs her friend.

"Bullshit!" The other woman yells.

"I have to go Jodie…it's really important."

"Please, you're not going to L.A. You'd never go back there. You're just getting out of going to work so that you can spend the day fucking some chick!"

"Jodie, seriously. I have to go see my parents. I'll try and be back by midnight to help close, but I can't make any promises," Alex states.

"Fine, whatever. But you owe me," the irritable brunette grumbles.

"Thanks Jo. I'll see you later," Alex says before clicking her phone closed.

"All settled?" Scott asks as she hangs up.

"Yeah," the blonde replies distractedly before turning to her uncle. "Would you mind staying and helping Jodie at the Bait Shop?"

"Why? I thought you hired a bunch of new people," he wonders, perplexed at the request.'

"It isn't fair to leave her in charge of four people on her own like that. Besides, this is something that I think I have to do on my own," Alex sighs.

"Okay, I'll stay. But you drive careful and, please, just hear your parents out," he pleads.

"I will," Alex promises before going to get into the shower and get ready for a long day.

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I know, I know…but I _**did **_take that poll a few chapters back and the votes have spoken. I figured that it was for the best because Alex probably is going to need some closure in order to move on from her past. I plan on doing that a bit and, well, it may throw a bit of a kink in Marissa and Alex's lives…but only I'm the one that knows how it will turn out (insert evil laughter here).

Also, I usually post new chapters by midnight…which was about 11 hours ago, but I got caught up in writing a new fic for _The O.C._ and finish chapter six of **Taking A Chance**, which is now posted.

The new fic I'm working on is kind of…different. I don't think I've ever seen another one with the same plot, but I could be wrong. You can check the plot outline out on my profile. Don't be afraid to tell me if it sounds like a good idea or not. Either way, I won't actually start posting the fic until this one is done…or at least close to it (in about a month or so).


	13. Unsure

**A/N**: Sorry this chapter is so short. It was a necessary evil in order to end it where I wanted. Also, don't hate me at the end either…you'll understand when you get there.

**A/N2**: Also no Malex interaction in this chapter either, but it was yet another necessary evil.

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**Chapter Thirteen- Unsure**

After two years, the place Alex once called home still hasn't changed one bit. She takes her time driving up the quarter of a mile long driveway, admiring the scenery of the wooded area until she spots the house. Taking a deep breath, she pulls her Jeep around the circular driveway in front of the house, parking it behind a black Jaguar.

With a sigh, Alex steps out of her car and walks up the steps to the sprawling mansion before her, her nerves finally getting to her. She quickly presses the button for the doorbell before she decides to flee the scene. The blonde fidgets on the doorstep by wringing her hands, smoothing down her clothes and running her fingers through her hair. _Mom hates my clothes and Dad is going to hate the purple streak in my hair. I never should've listened to Uncle Scott. I don't belong here. I-_

"Alex?" A tall, handsome middle-aged man asks in astonishment as he swings open the front door.

"Uh, yeah. Hey Dad," The blonde girl greets her father with a nervous wave.

Without any preamble whatsoever, her father pulls her into a tight embrace. "God, we missed you Alexis," he confesses before suddenly pulling away. "Sorry, I know how you hate us in your personal space," he apologizes, still unable to keep his eyes off of her.

Alex takes a moment to shake herself out of her initial shock. "I…Um…That was two years ago," she replies cryptically before stepping back into his arms for another hug.

"Wow…So, what are you doing in L.A.?" Steven asks, savoring the feeling of his oldest daughter in his arms again.

"I talked to Uncle Scott this morning and he helped clear some stuff up for me. I had to come talk to you guys in person," she explains to her father, reluctantly pulling away.

"Did he tell you about…" He trails off, unsure how to bring up the topic of the newborn upstairs.

"Andrea? Yes, he did," Alex confirms, earning a bright smile from the other man.

"Your mother will be so pleased to see you."

"Who is it Steven?" A woman asks from the staircase behind him.

The man in question turns at the sound of his name, allowing the other woman a clear view of their visitor. Alex, in turn, sees her mother, just as beautiful as always, standing on the steps, cradling an infant in her arms.

"Alexis?" The older woman quietly wonders, unsure if she is really seeing her daughter inside her home again.

"Yeah Mom, it's me," the young blonde replies, a soft smile gracing her features at the sight of the other woman and her younger sister.

The older Kelly woman carefully makes her way down the steps to greet the teen. Sensing his wife's urgency, Steven takes Andrea out of her arms. Tracy wraps her arms tightly around her oldest daughter's body.

"You're home," she whispers happily as she continues to hold Alex, tears springing forth in her eyes. After a moment she reluctantly pulls away, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Sorry. I guess I still must be a little hormonal," she chuckles nervously, sniffling a little.

Alex offers a crooked smile in return. "Don't worry Mom, I missed you too. I just didn't realize how much until now," she truthfully informs them both.

"I take it you spoke to Steven?" Tracy asks, already knowing the answer. Alex simply nods as she touches her little sister's tiny fingers and toes. "At least Steven's brother is good for something," the older woman smirks.

"Give him a little more credit," Steven replies, causing him and Alex to roll their eyes at her. "Did you want to hold her?" He suddenly questions the younger blonde.

Alex looks over at her mom for permission. "Can I?" She asks hopefully, earning a nod in response.

Steven gently moves the sleeping infant into the younger girl's arms. Alex is careful to cradle the baby's body with one arm and hold up the head with her free hand.

"Hey there," Alex quietly greets the one-day old child. "She's beautiful."

"Of course she is. It runs in the family," her father grins, happy to see his family back together. After a moment, she hands the child back to her mother.

"Let's go sit in the living room. No point in standing around in front of the door for no reason," Steven proposes as they make their way into the aforementioned room.

"So Alexis, how have you been doing?" Tracy inquires as she takes a seat on the love seat.

"I would have thought that Uncle Scott would have been keeping you updated," Alex quirks a brow at their question.

"Basic stuff, but nothing too personal. He can only tell us what you tell him," Steven points out.

"Tricky bastard," the blonde grumbles under her breath.

"Language Alexis," her mother chastises, earning an 'are you kidding?' expression from her daughter. "Just because you've been emancipated, it doesn't mean that our rules don't apply in this house."

"You're right," Alex sighs in defeat. "I guess it's just one of those habits that are hard to break: trying to wind you guys up," she explains before they all lapse into silence.

"So, how have you been doing?" Steven breaks the silence by repeating his wife's earlier question.

"Okay. I mean, I've been going to school and managing the Bait Shop-"

"Where _**is **_the Bait Shop?" Tracy asks only to receive an incredulous stare from her daughter. "Scott never told us where you were or how to get in touch with you. He wanted to respect your wishes and that, if you wanted to talk to us, it would be up to you," she clarifies.

"It's in Newport," she answers back after a moment.

"Orange County. Wow," her father whistles, impressed. "So, are you still dating…_**Jodie**_," he almost cringes as he says the name.

"No, not anymore," Alex replies. Her parents let out a relieved breath at this, causing her to smirk slightly. "But we are still friends and she helps me out at the Bait Shop," she adds, knowing that it would irritate them to no end that she still associates with the other woman.

"Alexis, you know we never liked that girl," Tracy sighs irritably.

"I know," Alex rolls her eyes, irritated that her parents still refer to her by her full name.

"It isn't even about her being a _**girl**_," Steven is sure to add.

"It isn't even about her being somewhat of a bad influence," Tracy continues from where her husband left off.

"Of course it isn't," Alex replies drolly.

"It's because she's almost five years older than you," her mother finishes, completely ignoring her daughter's smart-ass comments.

"You don't like her because she's older than me?" The blonde asks, arching an incredulous eyebrow in the process.

"Yes. She was repeating her Senior year when you started high school and she corrupted you," Steven insists.

"You two are unbelievable," the bar manager grumbles, sinking into her seat.

Tracy sighs quietly, adjusting the infant in her arms. "We're sorry…about everything. You're father and I made plenty of mistakes with you and we've accepted that," she informs the other girl.

"I know. I made some myself," Alex reluctantly admits.

"Do you…Do you think that you could ever forgive us?" Tracy asks, trying not to get too choked up with emotion.

"Yeah…But only if you forgive me too," she conditionally agrees.

"I think that can be arranged," Steven smiles warmly at his daughter before sharing a determined look with his wife.

_**--**_

Back at the Bait Shop, Jodie is working on stocking the bar before the other employees start to arrive. She is doing anything to avoid braving Alex's office to try and sort through whatever paperwork has to get done.

"Hey Stranger," a man's voice greets from the entrance of the club.

Jodie looks up sharply before releasing a relieved smile. "Scott, thank god. I thought Alex was going to leave me here to play babysitter to the new kids again," she rolls her eyes.

"Of course not. She asked me to stay and help you out with them while she drove up to see her parents."

"Why is she suddenly so interested in them?" The brunette asks, perplexed.

"I think she needs some closure…Also, her mom just gave birth to another daughter," he explains slyly.

"Ew. Aren't they, like, old?" She pulls a face.

"They aren't even forty yet. Shut up you little deviant," is Scott's good-natured reply. Jodie maturely sticks out her tongue.

"Don't worry. We're early today!" Seth announces in a near-panic as he, Ryan, Summer and Marissa all walk through the door at the same time.

"Hey Jodie. Hey…Man I don't know," Summer greets the pair as she steps in.

"I'm Scott."

"The owner?" Marissa asks curiously, never having actually met the man that she heard Alex mention on several occasions.

"Yep," he grins proudly.

"Where's Alex?" Marissa asks, not having spotted the blonde girl.

"She went up to L.A…It was last minute trip," Jodie grumbles, still somewhat bitter about having to manage the place without the other girl.

"So, she's not here?" Seth asks hopefully, his tension immediately decreasing.

"That's what I just said Geek," Jodie snaps at the boy, causing the tension to shoot right back up.

"When's she coming back?" The taller brunette girl inquires, wondering how long she'd have to put off talking to the blonde girl, thus missing the look her best friend gives her.

"She said she'd try and be back to help close around midnight," Jodie shrugs.

"Like hell! If she shows up, I'm sending her right back to her apartment so that she can get some rest for school tomorrow," Scott barks back at the young woman.

"Yeah, yeah," Jodie rolls her eyes as she starts cleaning out the glasses at the bar.

Marissa just stands sulking at the counter, her earlier good mood completely deflated. _I wonder if she's doing this to avoid me. I hope I didn't read all of the signs wrong and completely freak her out. I am so stupid, just when I thought we might be able to become friends, I go and do something stupid like kiss her._

"Yo! Earth to Marissa!" Jodie calls out to the daydreaming girl. "You mind pulling down the chairs?" She asks sarcastically, making it sound more like a demand than a request. Marissa simply nods.

_**--**_

"So, Alexis..." Steven begins, wondering how best to lead into what it is he and his wife really want to ask. "How are things _**really **_going down in Newport?"

"Pretty good. I'm in school and I'm keeping out of trouble," Alex shrugs, emphasizing the part about staying out of trouble.

Tracy nods in contemplation. "Any boyfriends…or girlfriends?" She asks cautiously.

The blonde's mind flashes briefly to the kiss she shared with Marissa the night before. _It was a kiss. A damn __**good**__ kiss, but we aren't actually dating._ "No, none of the above," she hesitantly replies. "Why are you guys being so weird all of a sudden?" She finally wonders, referring to their sudden shift in behavior.

Steven casts a sidelong glance to his wife before returning his gaze to his daughter. "With you gone, your mother and I have done a lot of thinking and reflecting. We've really changed and…" he pauses, reluctant to ask the question.

"We want to know if you would move back home with us?" Tracy finally asks, sensing her husband's uncertainty.

Alex's eyes widen slightly and her jaw slackens at the question. She opens her mouth, then closes it again, unsure how to respond.

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I'm mean, huh? I hope I made her parents somewhat likeable because I wanted them to seem like they've changed from how bad they used to be. It's instrumental in making the decision for Alex that much harder. There will also be Malex in the next chapter. Just because Alex is coming back, doesn't mean she's back for good though. Alex still has to get her stuff if she says 'yes'.

Also, I warned you that Alex and Marissa simply getting together would just be too easy. I like to tease. ;)

Oh, and I may not be able to update on Monday like usual. You may have to wait until Tuesday because I haven't even started on chapter fourteen yet and I still have to write chapter eight of **Taking A Chance**. You can read chapter seven now though.

Tell me what you think…and don't hate me too much.


	14. Because

As usual, I would like to thank you guys for all of the reviews.

**A/N**: I know, I suck for making you guys wait so long for an update. Between typing out a report for my mom's work, getting all of my shit together for my classes starting up again next week and all of my shit at work, it hasn't left me a lot of time to write.

**A/N2**: So, there is Malex in this chapter. Yay! I hope you enjoy and that it was worth the wait.

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**Chapter Fourteen- Because**

"But **_Joooodieeeeee_**.." Seth whines from the doorway to the supply room.

"Don't give me that crap. I don't care if Alex isn't here, you're _**still**_ cleaning the bathrooms," the small brunette snaps at the lanky boy.

"But…I…Fine!" He sputters, finally giving up

Jodie hops up on the counter, resisting the urge to go hide in Alex's office until everyone has left. Scott decided to leave an hour ago since it was so slow. Summer is currently filing her nails by the bar on the far wall while Marissa wipes it down and Ryan puts up the chairs. _I am going to kill Alex when she gets back for leaving me practically alone._

As if on cue the side door swings open and a distracted looking Alex steps into the club. The blonde looks up and barely makes eye contact with her as she walks over.

"I need to talk to you in the office," Alex states, trying to not sound like it's an order.

Jodie decides that whatever happened in L.A. must have been pretty major. She merely nods and follows her friend into the office.

"What's up?" She wonders, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible.

"My parents asked me to move back in with them," Alex replies, getting right to the point. She braces herself against the desk, awaiting the inevitable blow-up from the brunette.

At this, Jodie erupts into laughter. "Are you serious?" She gasps out after a moment.

"Yeah," is the cautious reply from the confused blonde. _Laughter? Not even on my top ten list of expected reactions._

"They must be stupid to think that you'd go back to them after all of the crap that they-"

"They've changed Jo. They've changed _**a lot**_," Alex interrupts.

"Whoa! You didn't say 'yes' did you?" Jodie asks, her mirth immediately killed. "I don't want to move back to L.A.," she adds indignantly.

"You don't have to go _**everywhere **_that I go. You could always stay here if I left," the bar manager says, almost amused at the other woman.

"Why wouldn't I go without you? That's crazy talk," Jodie scoffs at the suggestion of staying in Newport without her best friend.

Alex simply smiles at her friend's insistence of staying by her side. "I told them that I'd think about it. I haven't had enough time to process their sudden change in personalities," she sighs.

Jodie walks over to her friend leaning against the desk and rests a supportive hand on her arm. "You know that whatever you decide to do, I'll be behind you 100 percent," the brunette informs her softly. "I mean, why not leave anyways? I mean, what do you have in Newport aside from working here at the Bait Shop?" She throws in, trying to be helpful in her friend's decision-making.

At this, Alex cast her gaze down to hide her smile and slight blush. "Marissa kissed me in my office last night after you guys left," she quietly says.

"It's about damn time!" Jodie gleefully cries out causing Alex to roll her eyes. "Then what happened? Did you guys do it on the desk?" She wags her eyebrows suggestively.

"No. She just smiled at me and left. Said we'd talk tonight at work," the blonde shrugs mildly.

Jodie gives her a blank stare for a moment. The look then turns into one of complete incredulity. "What the hell are you doing talking to _**me**_ for? Go get your woman," she orders her best friend.

"It's not that simple. I-"

"_**Yes**_. It _**is**_ that simple. You like her. She likes you. You get together and live happily ever after…until I gag," the small brunette is sure to add.

"What if I decide to move back home? What then? Do you really think that we would work out?"

"Why would you move back home if you and Marissa got together? Fuck your parents and fuck L.A," she scoffs in response.

"Look Jodie, this isn't your decision to make and I don't know what I'm going to do," Alex replies sharply. "As for Marissa and me…I just don't even know what to think. It may not have even meant anything. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss," she sighs.

"And sometimes it's not. Sometimes a kiss is…a promise of something greater. That may have been her way of telling you that she wants more and she is willing to put up with your shit to be with you," Jodie wisely answers back, a hint of irritation seeping through in her tone.

"Where the hell did you get that from?" A stunned Alex questions.

"What? I can't be smart?" The brunette challenges, earning a skeptical expression from the other girl. "Okay, I may have heard it from some Lifetime movie or something," she relents with an eye roll.

"That's what I thought," Alex grins.

Meanwhile, back in the main part of the club, Marissa and Summer share a curious glance as a preoccupied Alex and concerned Jodie disappeared into the manager's office.

"What do you think is going on?" Summer asks her best friend after a moment

"No clue," Marissa replies as she stares at the closed door. "Did Alex seem upset to you? She looked upset," she further notes, mostly to herself.

"I don't know. Maybe you should talk to her when she and Jodie are done," the brunette suggests with a shrug.

"You don't think it's because of me, do you? God, I freaked her out, didn't I? I could just swear that she felt the-"

"Coop!" Summer barks out in an attempt to calm her friend's rising imminent panic attack. "I'm sure that it's something to do with her going to L.A and has nothing whatsoever to do with you," she says slowly, hoping that she's right.

"Yeah. You're probably right," Marissa breathes out in relief.

As Summer opens her mouth to say something else, the office door opens as Alex and Jodie exit the room. "Well, at least they weren't in there long enough to have a quickie," the small brunette pipes up optimistically

"Yeah, but…" Marissa trails off as she catches the blonde's eye for the briefest of moments. Alex offers her a brief apologetic half-smile before turning her attention back to her friend.

"Hey Coop. You spacing out on me again?" Summer asks, trying to regain her friend's attention.

"I'll be right back," the taller girl replies, her tone clearly distracted as she goes to talk to the bar manager. "Hey, Alex," she says in an attempt to get the blonde's attention.

Alex turns to face Marissa curiously. "Yeah?" She wonders, trying not to fidget nervously at the questions she's sure to be getting

"Um, I was wondering if we could talk. I mean, we never got the chance to after…last night," the taller of the two babbles.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, but I had a…thing to attend to."

"Is everything okay?" Marissa asks, furrowing her brows at the evasiveness of the other girl.

"Um…I can't really talk right now," Alex sighs, wanting nothing more than to avoid this conversation all together. "I'll see you at school tomorrow," she mumbles before practically lying out of the building.

_**--**_

_What am I doing? What am I doing? This is stupid. She's going to think I'm stalking her or something. _Marissa sighs, shifting nervously from one foot to the other as she stands on Alex's doorstep. _She said that we'd talk tomorrow at school, but I don't think I can wait that long._She quickly knocks on the door before she loses her nerve.

After several moments, Marissa begins to give up hope on the other girl answering. However, before she has a chance to turn around and go back to her car, the door swings open and Alex opens it just a crack. Upon seeing who it is, the blonde opens the door fully.

"Sorry, I thought you were a big guy with an 'I Heart NASCAR' tattoo on your arm," a relieved Alex justifies her paranoid behavior. "My landlord…I'm two days late on rent," she smirks upon seeing the look of confusion cross over the brunette's face.

Marissa nods numbly, afraid of bringing up the reason why she came here. "So, uh, how are things?"

Alex arches an eyebrow in disbelief. "I find it hard to believe that you came here at," she pauses to glance at her clock, "one in the morning to asks me _**that**_. And, what are you even doing up right now? You have school tomorrow," she points out obviously.

"So do you!" Marissa shoots back. Before Alex even has a chance to respond, the taller girl continues. "I just came over because I think we really need to talk," she blurts out.

"And _**I **_said that we'd talk tomorrow before I left the Bait Shop," Alex growls out.

"That was an hour and a half ago," Marissa points out.

"So?" The frustrated blonde breathes out.

"It was still Sunday an hour and a half ago. Now it's Monday, 'tomorrow'. We're talking now," she asserts.

Alex releases an irritable grunt before opening the door to let the other girl in, knowing that it would be pointless to argue with her right now. "Make it quick," she simply grumbles.

Marissa takes a moment to gather her thoughts. "So, look I just…" she soon trails off as she spots a couple of duffle bags by the door. "Are you going somewhere…again?" She nervously asks.

Following the other girl's gaze, Alex merely smirks. "Uncle Scott's staying here until tomorrow, well, I guess _**this**_ afternoon," she replies with a shrug.

The taller girl releases an audible sigh of relief. "Good. For a second there I was afraid that you might be moving or something."

Alex takes a moment to dissect the statement. _She's afraid that I'll leave? _"You don't want me to leave?" She asks cautiously.

"What? No. Why would I want you to leave?" She scoffs as if it was the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard.

"Uh, because I'm a bitch to you," is the obvious answer. "Uh, 'Riss, the thing is-"

"I know you've been kind of a bitch," Marissa cuts the other girl off before pausing for a moment. "Okay, you've been a _**total **_bitch," she corrects herself. "But Newport wouldn't be the same without you. And, you know, maybe I'd miss you," she quickly mumbles the last part.

Alex smiles fondly at the other girl before her face falls slightly. She drops onto her couch and stares blankly at her coffee table.

"I don't regret kissing you the other night," Marissa blurts out upon seeing the downcast look on the blonde's face, causing her to look up sharply. "My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner," she confesses softly before blushing, all the while moving closer to the couch where the other girl is sitting.

"Marissa, I-"

The brunette cuts her off once more. "I've just been thinking a lot lately. About you, and me, and…us. I've decided that I really want there to be an 'us'," Marissa informs the other girl, not sure when she came to be sitting next to her on the couch and holding her hand.

Alex stands up abruptly, taking her hand out of the brunette's grasp. "I really need to tell you something. I might-"

"Oh god. I totally read all of the signs all wrong, didn't I? I am going to kill Summer for talking me into telling you how I-"

"Would you just stop for a fucking minute and let me talk?!" Alex shouts over the ranting and grabbing the other girl's shoulders, hoping to _**finally**_ get a word in without being interrupted.

"But…" Marissa pauses at the stern look Alex is giving her. She simply nods.

Alex lets go of the taller girl's shoulders and runs her fingers nervously through her hair. "I'm thinking about moving back to L.A.," she states, not making eye contact. Marissa is completely stunned. She doesn't say a word in hopes that she heard wrong. She opens her mouth and closes it several times without saying a word. Alex, who still hasn't looked up, takes the silence as meaning for her to continue.

"I saw my parents and they've changed. I have another sister now. She isn't Ashley, but I feel like this is my second chance to be a good sister to _**someone**_. They asked me to move back in," Alex says all of this in a quiet tone, trying not to get too choked up and start crying.

"Can't you still be a good sister from Newport? You don't have to move back," Marissa softly responds, knowing that it is a weak argument.

"It isn't that simple Marissa. They want me back. It isn't just that they are asking me to come home again, but they have really changed and I know it will be different this time," Alex states, her voice slowly rising.

Marissa stands up and walks over to Alex. "You can't go," she tells the blonde in a determined voice.

"Why not?" The irritated blonde asks. "I don't exactly have anything tying me to Newport and keeping me here," she sighs in defeat.

Marissa's eye briefly flash in anger. "You have me," she growls out.

Before Alex has a chance to respond, Marissa snakes her hand behind the blonde's head and pulls in her close. She crashes their lips together in a heated and all too brief kiss. When Marissa breaks the kiss, she rests her forehead against Alex's.

"So, why can't I leave?" A breathless Alex snarks a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Because I love you Stupid," Marissa confesses. She feels the blonde stiffen and she pulls away and looks into confused eyes. "Alex? What is it?" She asks, growing concerned that maybe it wasn't the right time to confess her undying love for the shorter girl.

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See, no parents in this chapter. However, whatever will Alex decide to do? And, why is Alex suddenly acting weird? How will she respond to Marissa's confession? Hmm, these are the questions to ponder until the next chapter…which I hope won't take as long as this one.

Don't forget to review and to check out the latest installment of **Taking a Chance**.


	15. Liar

Sorry for taking so long to update…again. I started classes back up Monday and I am already kind of backlogged on reading and _**homework**_ (gags). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and it was worth the wait.

**A/N**: I know that it has taken me ten shades of forever to update and I am _**so**_ very sorry. My laptop died an untimely death and I had to get a new one.

**A/N2**: I think this chapter is totally shit, but I wanted to get something written up quick to make up for my lack of updating for, like, two weeks.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_So, why can't I leave?" A breathless Alex snarks a smile tugging at the corner of her lips._

"_Because I love you Stupid," Marissa confesses. She feels the blonde stiffen and she pulls away and looks into confused eyes. "Alex? What is it?" She asks, growing concerned that maybe it wasn't the right time to confess her undying love for the shorter girl._

**Chapter Fifteen- Liar**

"Alex?" Marissa questions once more as she sees the confused expression still written across the blonde's face.

This seems to do the trick as Alex focuses on the girl in front of her. "You do?" She asks, her tone clearly uncertain and laced with insecurity.

The brunette suddenly turns bashful at the inquiry as she diverts her eyes and releases her hold on the shorter girl. "Um, yes?" Is the hesitant reply.

At Marissa's tone, Alex narrows her eyes and steps away from her. "Why does it sound like you are asking me?" She asks with a dark expression crossing her face.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe because I ever know which of your personalities I'm going to get whenever I talk to you. Is it going to be the bitchy Alex that I'm used to talking to? The oddly charming Alex? Or the shy, smart Alex that no one seems to know exists?" Is the sarcastic retort.

"You can't just come here and say something like that and expect to live happily ever after," the blonde shoots back.

"That's _**not **_what I expected at all. I wasn't even planning on saying it, but I don't want you to leave…Although I have no idea why seeing as how bitchy Alex is back in control," she grumbles the last part.

"Just go," Alex sighs in defeat as she points to the door. "I can't deal with you right now," she adds.

"Oh, you can't deal with me?" Marissa mocks the blonde. "Tough shit. If you're going to move back to L.A, I'm not going to leave until I'm done talking to you," she asserts.

"I never said that I was definitely moving back, so get the fuck out of here!" The aggravated girl shouts in irritation. "It's late and we have school tomorrow."

Marissa allows herself a moment to take in the distant expression on the shorter girl's face. "Jodie said that…" she trails off.

Alex's head snap up at the tentative mention of her friend. "What?" She probes.

"She said that you felt the same way about me," is the whispered reply.

The blonde takes pause and weighs her options for a moment. _It's for the best_. "Jodie's a liar," she says quietly as if that would force her into believing her own lie.

Marissa says nothing, but simply nods and walks out the door, closing it carefully behind her. Alex rests her forehead on the door the other girl just left from and sighs deeply.

"That had to have been the stupidest thing you've ever done…By far," a voice from the hallway states.

The blonde doesn't bother opening her eyes or even turning her head. "Not now Scotty," a worn Alex pleads.

"Kiddo, you and that girl are-"

"Just, go back to sleep…Please?" She nearly begs, trying to keep the tears at bay.

_**--**_

Marissa casts nervous glances back at Alex's empty seat as she waits for the bell to ring for first period. _What if she doesn't show up? What if she moves back to LA? I don't want her to go? Wait! She totally shot me down. What the hell a I thinking? I never should've listened to Summer or that bitch Jodie. I'm-_

"Coop! Would you knock it off? She'll be here," Summer barks at her friend.

"What?" The brunette asks innocently, hoping that her distraction wasn't overly obvious.

"You keep looking at her seat and shuffling your feet and…_**for fuck's sake**_, could you _**please**_ stop tapping your pencil on the desk before I rage blackout on your ass," the shorter girl snaps all in one quick breath.

"Sorry," the taller girl sheepishly apologizes. "I just want to talk to her and make sure everything is okay. I don't want her to go," she says the last part quietly to herself.

"Last week you would've jumped at this chance to be rid of her and now you want her to stay. I wonder about you sometimes girl," Summer shakes her head in mock dismay, a smile attached to her lips.

"I know, but she's…different somehow. Like, I can see that she really cares, but is too afraid to admit it," she sighs.

"We're still talking about Alex Kelly right?" Summer asks rhetorically, Marissa nodding anyways. "The same Alex Kelly that locked you in the storeroom at the Bait Shop for two hours one night, right?" She double checks.

"That was an accident," a voice from behind the shorter girl explains simply.

Marissa visibly brightens at the sigh of the other girl. "Really?" She challenges with a warm smile, just happy to see that the blonde is still in Newport.

"I didn't even know that you were in there," Alex confirms, trying not to burst into laughter.

"Is that why you, Jodie, and Jason spent the whole two hours playing 'Where's Marissa?' and 'Did You Hear That?' every time you walked by the storeroom?" The brunette questions with a quirked brow.

"Yep. How were we to know that the sound of 'Very funny guys, now let me out?' was _**you **_and not the band or our imaginations or something?" the blonde bar manager inquires, a smile playing at her lips. At this, Summer giggles slightly, earning a dirty look from her friend.

"Please Alex. I'm not the blonde one remember? I heard you guys laughing," Marissa explains, earning a glare in response to the 'blonde' reference.

"Yeah, well…" Alex trails off, not really meaning to have an ending to that sentence. She shrugs slightly and offers a slight smile before going to her seat behind the taller brunette.

"Okay class. Calm down," Mr. Bowen orders as he steps into the room. "I have you quizzes graded and, I must say, I'm disappointed," he sighs as he pulls out a stack of papers. "This year, I will be grading on a curve," he informs them.

A round of cheers and high-fives erupt throughout the room as they all breathe out a collective sigh of relief.

"Unfortunately for most of you, however, there was a perfect score in here, making the curve completely obsolete for this one," Mr. Bowen is quick to crush their joy as he locks eyes with a certain blonde in the back.

The two of them share a meaningful, if not hostile, look. Hers clearly seems to say 'you wouldn't dare' as his replies with 'try me'.

"You all have Miss Alexis Kelly here to thank for that," he smugly calls her out.

"Prick," Alex grumbles under her breath as she fends off a classroom of glares. Unfortunately, she is overheard.

"Well, it seems as though you'll be celebrating your perfect score in the principal's office," he gleefully announces.

"Super," Alex grins sarcastically as she grabs her bags and trudges out of the room. Marissa watches her leave, a concerned expression making its way across her face. _**--**_

An hour later, Marissa and Summer exit English. Alex is waiting by the door with her head down and her hands shoved in her pockets. Summer gives her best friend a slight nudge before walking off to give them space to talk.

"Hey," the blonde greets lamely.

"Hey," Marissa echoes, trying to remain impassive in front of the other girl.

Alex sighs deeply and runs her fingers through her hair. "Look, I'm sorry for being such a bitch last night at my apartment. It had been a long and shitty day and…I'm sorry," she apologizes awkwardly, not used to being in this position.

"I get it. I'm still totally pissed at some of the things you said. I totally put myself out there by admitting that I…you know, then you turn around and make me feel like shit. It really hurt Alex," Marissa admits, feeling completely vulnerable.

"Marissa, I hope you can understand that I didn't fully believe you when you told me that. We seriously have next to nothing in common and, well, we argue all the time. It's kind of hard for feelings like that to-"

"God Alex, now you're totally belittling my feelings for you," the brunette incredulously states. "And, you know what? It doesn't even matter anymore because you are going back to L.A. anyways," she sighs in exasperation, trying to hold back as much emotion as possible.

"I never said that I was moving back. I said that I was _**thinking**_ about moving back," the shorter girl clarifies. "I have a lot going for me here and it would be stupid to just uproot myself again," she is quick to point out.

"Then stay. Make up your mind and do something other than stand around being all indecisive," Marissa grinds out in frustration.

The blonde takes a moment to ponder the other girl's words. "I don't things between us could work out," she confesses quietly.

"What? Why not?" The taller girl questions after thinking over the blonde's words.

"I just…don't. I can tell that you want something from me that I don't know if I can give you."

"What's that?" Marissa asks softly, almost afraid of the answer.

Alex diverts her gaze so that she is staring at the wall behind the brunette girl. "My heart." She watches as the taller girl remains speechless, so she decides to continue. "Jodie's not a liar. When she told you that I felt the same way about you, she was telling you the truth," is the quiet confession and Marissa's jaw hangs slightly agape.

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Wow, how horrible of me to leave another cliffhanger like this. I am sorry for how short it is as well. Like I said, I wanted to get something out pretty quickly and, this is what came up.

There is going to be more Malex to come…eventually. With school back up, I didn't realize how much of a loser I was until I found that I spent most of my time in front of the computer writing fan fiction. But, the chapters will be a bit slower going…I am aiming for at least one chapter a week, but it is subject to change.

Don't forget to review and to check out the latest installment of **Taking a Chance**, chapter nine is now up and running.


	16. You Moron!

Yay! Thank you guys for your continuing support with this story and for not being too upset that it took me so long to update the last chapter.

**A/N**: I'm sorry that this one took so long. I had three exams this week, another one next week, and two papers to write by the end of the month. It's been a little hectic, but I promise to try and get better with the updates.

**A/N2**: Also, sorry to say that not much happens in this chapter. It kind of sucks and I kind of feel like I'm cheating you guys with this update.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_I just…don't. I can tell that you want something from me that I don't know if I can give you."_

"_What's that?" Marissa asks softly, almost afraid of the answer._

_Alex diverts her gaze so that she is staring at the wall behind the brunette girl. "My heart." She watches as the taller girl remains speechless, so she decides to continue. "Jodie's not a liar. When she told you that I felt the same way about you, she was telling you the truth," is the quiet confession and Marissa's jaw hangs slightly agape._

**Chapter Sixteen- You Moron!**

"What?" Marissa finally breathes out, unsure if she heard the usually bitchy blonde correctly.

Alex opens and closes her mouth several times in an effort to reply, but fails each time. As she goes to actually attempt to release a sound of some sort, the warning bell rings to alert them that they have five minutes to get to class.

"Look, class!" The blonde grins nervously before turning and bolting down the hallway, completely forgetting that the brunette she just ran from is in most of her classes.

"What the hell was that?" Summer questions as she appears out of nowhere.

Marissa jumps at the sudden intrusion to her thoughts. "I, uh, I don't know," the perplexed brunette answers back. "It seems like every time we're about to get somewhere we get interrupted," she sighs.

Summer scoffs as she looks off to where the other girl disappeared. "Well, Blondie forgot one very important thing."

"What's that?" Marissa asks as she turns to face the other girl.

"That you share most of your classes. She won't have any choice but to face you," the shorter girl triumphantly announces.

"Yeah, unless she skips out of school again," the taller girl glumly corrects her best friend.

"Oh, yeah. She could always do that."

_**--**_

The front door to Alex's apartment violently swings open.

"Hey Al, what are you doing back so early?" Jodie inquires as she comes out of the kitchen, an unopened beer in hand.

The brunette gets no answer as the blonde grabs her by the belt loops to pull her close before crushing her lips against those of the shorter girl's. Alex unbuckles her friend's belt and unbuttons her pants as she starts to move them towards her bedroom. Once the blonde's fingers begin to pull down the zipper to her pants, Jodie manages to summon the willpower to push her friend away.

"What are you doing Lexi?" Jodie asks breathlessly, her face flushed and her eyes glazed.

Alex ignores her and moves back in for another kiss, only to be shoved back once again. "What?" She growls in frustration.

"Knock it off Alex. What is going on?" The shorter girl demands as she takes a few steps back to distance herself from the other girl.

"I'm trying to fuck you. What does it look like?" Alex all but sneers in response.

"Why?"

The younger girl takes a moment to blink back at her incredulously. "Because that's what we do. We get together and fuck," she explains before attempting to move in again.

"We also tell each other when something is bothering us," Jodie pointedly counters, folding her arms across her chest.

Rolling her eyes, Alex takes on a defensive stance of her own. "Why does something have to be bothering me?"

Jodie studies her friend for a several seconds before narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "This is about Marissa isn't it. You are afraid to release your sexual frustration on her, so you came to me," she accuses.

The blonde's eyes widen slightly. "I, uh, don't know what you're talking about," she defends herself, sounding more like a question than a defense.

"Whatever, I am going to pretend that you didn't molest me because of her," the older girl grumbles before plopping herself back down on her best friend's couch, waiting patiently for the other girl to explain herself. _It's inevitable. She's going to crack here soon…_

"She told me she loved me last night," Alex blurts out…as predicted, before taking a seat next to her friend on the couch.

"Isn't that a good thing?" A confused brunette questions.

"I kind of freaked on her, which led to a big argument and me kicking her out of the apartment," the blonde sheepishly admits.

Jodie turns to the other girl sharply before delivering a swift smack across the back of the head. "You moron!"

"What the fuck Jodie?!" The blonde screeches as she rubs the back of her head.

"You could have been feeling _**her**_ up right now instead of me. The two of you could be together right now, living happily ever after and all of that crap. But _**no**_, you had to start acting like a bitch again and ruin it."

"It wasn't like that Jodie. She said it and then turned all shy and it sounded like she regretted saying it…like she didn't mean it or something."

"She was probably afraid that you would react like, well, like you _**did**_," the older girl points out.

"It's a moot point anyways because I already kind of apologized to her earlier today," Alex brushes it off.

"So, then what's the problem?"

"I told her I didn't feel the same for her last night and then today…I admitted that I did," the blonde confesses.

"I repeat: What's the problem?"

"I told her that we couldn't be together because it wouldn't work out. Then…the bell rang and I ran away before she could say anything," Alex hangs her head when she tells this to the other girl.

Jodie glares at her for a moment. "You know what, you don't even deserve her. You are being so immature about this whole thing and you need to pick a goddamn personality and stick with it. You're sending her mixed signals and it isn't fair to her."

"Why are you siding with her, you're _**my **_friend? You don't even like her."

"I like her well enough to know that she deserves better than someone who is going to string her along and repeatedly break her heart because you are a scared little girl that can't handle any real emotion when it comes to being intimate with someone."

"Huh?" Alex eloquently questions as she shoots the other girl a startled look at the observations.

"Grow up Alex. I am not going to keep having these conversations with you because nothing ever comes from them. You guys like each other and you both know that the feeling is mutual. You are the only one that is resisting. Stop being afraid and stop fighting it," Jodie sighs. Alex copies the gesture as they turn back to the T.V. in front of them, neither really watching it.

_**--**_

"You need to calm down first," Summer sternly informs her friend, folding her arms across her chest.

"No. I am going to see her right now. She can't keep running away from me like this," Marissa snaps back at her friend as they make their way to Alex's apartment in her car.

"But if you go while you're pissed off, then you are going to say something that you'll regret," the shorter girl wisely points out.

"I know what I'm doing Sum," the other girl says as they pull up to the apartment.

Summer takes a look around. "She lives _**here**_?" She questions in distaste as they exit the vehicle.

"Don't start," Marissa rolls her eyes with a smile as they make their way to the door.

"Okay. But if we get shot…" the darker brunette trails off as the door swings open.

"What are _**you **_doing here?" Marissa asks in irritation.

Jodie arches an eyebrow at the question as she continues to towel-dry her hair, having just got out of the shower. "I practically _**live **_here," is the equally irritated reply. "What are you two doing here?"

"We came to see Alex. She around?" Summer questions in an attempt to keep her friend from saying something stupid.

"She's…detained at the moment," Jodie smirks, casting a sidelong glance towards Marissa, relishing the jealous expression on the other girl's face.

"Alex!" Marissa shouts into the apartment, ignoring Jodie.

The smaller woman frowns in annoyance. "She's not here. She's at the Bait Shop."

"Don't give me that shit. The Bait Shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays," Marissa all but snarls.

"Not to the manager. She's getting in a shipment and she has to do inventory," Jodie snaps back. "She. Is. Not. Here," she reiterates.

"Fine. Come on Summer," Marissa growls as they turn to leave.

_**--**_

"What do you think you're doing? That's the men's bathroom! The storeroom is on the other side of the club you jackass," Alex shouts at the deliveryman.

"You should have the doors marked better," he argues back as he turns the dolly stacked with cases of beer away from the bathroom and redirects to the other side of the club.

"The door you were about to go into has a picture of a man on it. The storeroom has 'Storeroom' written on it. You'd have to be incredibly stupid to get that messed up."

"Yeah, well.." the deliveryman trails off with a shrug.

Before Alex has a chance to shoot back another biting remark, the side door swings open to reveal Marissa and Summer.

"Oh god. Not now," the blonde laments to herself.

"Kelly, we need to talk," Marissa forcefully announces as she walks up to the manager.

"Do we really have to?" Alex asks, not in the mood to talk to the other girl.

"Yes, you are not putting this off anymore."

The harassed delivery guy watches on in amusement as the bitchy blonde gets yelled out by the newcomer.

"What are you grinning about Brian?" Alex barks at the guy, taking her anger out on the most convenient person. He gets back to unloading the truck, watching them discreetly. "So?" She arches an eyebrow up at Marissa, trying to regain control of the situation.

Marissa narrows her eyes at the blonde. "So…I think you have some explaining to do," she folds her arms across her chest and waits for the shorter girl to say something.

Alex rolls her eyes and adopts the same pose as the other girl, willing to go into a staring contest with the brunette.

"I'm just going to go wait in the car…and put 911 into my speed dial," Summer says, mumbling the last part to herself.

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Don't forget to review and to check out the latest installment of **Taking a Chance**, chapter ten is now up and running.


	17. Famous Last Words

I know it's short and I'm sorry about that. I hope it doesn't suck too bad…but I doubt it.

Also, make sure to read the note at the end of the chapter. I know everyone thinks that they're not important, but this one effects how quick the updates are going to come.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_Marissa narrows her eyes at the blonde. "So…I think you have some explaining to do," she folds her arms across her chest and waits for the shorter girl to say something._

_Alex rolls her eyes and adopts the same pose as the other girl, willing to go into a staring contest with the brunette._

"_I'm just going to go wait in the car…and put 911 into my speed dial," Summer says, mumbling the last part to herself._

**Chapter Seventeen- Famous Last Words**

"Well?" Marissa prompts expectantly.

"'Well' what Marissa?" The blonde retorts sarcastically.

"Why the hell do you keep running away whenever I try to talk to you about us?" The other girl finally snaps in frustration.

Alex rolls her eyes. "That's because there is no 'us'."

"Don't be an ass."

_Maybe I should just be honest with her. At the very least it will get Jodie off my back._ "I'm sorry," she mumbles quietly.

"That's a start," Marissa says.

"Look, I am not usually very good with this type of thing," she admits in frustration.

"What type of thing?" Marissa inquires, confused.

"The type of thing where I have to be honest and not act like a total bitch from hell. I don't really do relationships very well," Alex admits hesitantly.

"So I've heard," Marissa snorts back in response.

"What's _**that**_ supposed to mean?" The blonde defensively questions.

"It means that I'm well aware of your dating track record."

"You think you know everything about me just because of what other people have said? Well, newsflash…you don't know shit about me Marissa," Alex bites back.

"I know that you've been with a hell of a lot more people than I have. I know that you just hook up with people for no reason and that-"

"Bullshit. That's pure bullshit. I don't go around just using people…not intentionally. Sometimes things just don't work out and everyone tries to make it sound like it's my fault."

"Oh, so everyone is full of crap except for you, right?" The brunette sarcastically asks.

"No. I…Why am I even trying to justify myself to you?" Alex scoffs to herself. "You are going to believe what you want to believe no matter what I say. If you think I'm such a horrible person, why do you even like me?"

This question gives Marissa pause. She opens her mouth to reply, only to close it again. "I…" she begins, only to trail off.

After several moments of silence, Alex drops her arms from their position folded across her chest and sighs., giving up hope that Marissa even knows what she is talking about anymore. "Just…go home Marissa. We can't even get along for two seconds and you don't even know why you like me in the first place…if you even do. Just go home and we can both go back to how we used to be," the blonde says in a defeated tone.

Marissa studies the other girl only to realize that she is being serious. _It's now or never._ "No," she replies firmly.

"No? 'No' what?" Alex questions in confusion.

"No, I am not going to just leave and pretend that there isn't something between us. I am not going to just walk out that door and act like I don't feel something for you because I do," she explains, feeling confidence bubble up inside of her.

"Just drop it. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You have no right to tell me what I'm thinking and feeling Alex! I have always had such intense feelings towards you and I didn't even know why until last week. I used to think that I just hated you and you irritated the hell out of me, but now I think I was just confused and frustrated. I wanted to like you, I really did, but you just always made it so hard for me to get close and I understand why," she admits softly.

"Marissa, don't-"

"You're afraid to get close to people and when you opened up to me last week I got to see the real you. You don't have to be such a goddamned hard-ass all the time Alex. You're allowed to be vulnerable every once in a while."

"No, I'm not. Every time that happens, it always backfires. It did with my sister, my parents…you. I can't deal with this right now," the blonde shakes her head and turns to leave.

"So that's it? Every time something gets too hard, you just run? You are such a coward," Marissa growls out, hating that the other girl has no problem walking away from whatever it is between them.

Alex's back tenses for a moment before she allows her shoulders to slump in defeat and she turns back to face the other girl. "You are doing nothing to help your cause by calling me that," she retorts, still avoiding the main issue.

"That doesn't make it any less true. You are so willing to give up on a chance to be happy just because you are afraid that it will turn out bad. You never know unless you try," Marissa reasons, not realizing that desperation crept into her voice near the end of her speech.

Alex, on the other hand, _**does**_ notice. "Why are you pushing this so much? What makes this so special that you just don't give up?"

Marissa pauses to think about the question and what the consequences of telling the truth would be. She ponders that what she has to say next could very well determine the course of her and Alex's future together.

"I knew from the moment I met you that you were going to be an important person in my life. As cheesy and clichéd as it sounds, I just knew. I thought it would be, like, one of those kinds of 'friends at first sight' deal…but we were never really friends. It always felt like we should be more, you know?" Marissa finally questions, feeling like her diatribe began to really fall apart near the end.

The blonde watches her with a thoughtful expression. "You're right…" she trails off momentarily, effectively gaining the other girl's interest. "That was pretty cheesy and clichéd," she finishes, trying to hide the smile threatening to break through.

"I should have known that it was too much to ask for you to have a soul," the taller girl grumbles as she decides that she is fighting a losing battle.

Alex, seeing the reaction that her words provoked, lets up on the other girl. "Marissa," she calls in an effort to halt the brunette's retreat.

"You don't have to say anything else Alex, I get it," she sighs back, not bothering to turn around and make eye contact.

"No, you don't," the bar manager firmly replies, her tone gaining the other girl's attention. "You were also right about the other stuff too…About there being something between us. I felt it too, but it was always easier just to piss you off," Alex states sincerely, smirking at the end.

At this, Marissa actually chuckles. "I should've known that you liked me. At least you didn't pull that elementary school show of affection of putting gum in my hair or something," she scoffs in amusement.

"I think that was on the agenda for _**next**_ week," Alex grins. Marissa cocks her head to the side, unsure on whether or not the other girl is being serious. "That was a joke," she clarifies for the dark haired girl.

"Okay. Good," Marissa nods her head, unsure of what to say next. "Where does that leave us?" She tentatively asks, unsure of what the other girl's earlier admission means for them.

"Well, I suppose that the first order of business would be an actual date," the blonde replies knowledgably before her eyes take on a mischievous glint. "Unless you want to just skip all of that and get to the good part," she grins cheekily, allowing her eyes to suggestively dart towards her office door.

Marissa allows herself to laugh at the blonde's expression. "There will be plenty of time for that later, but I think that a date sounds good."

"If you insist," Alex sighs melodramatically.

"Hey," Marissa softly calls for her attention, placing a hand on her arm lightly. "I want to really get to know you Alex. I want you to know that when you and I are together, it will mean something. I don't want you to think that I just want us to jump into bed together. I mean, I want to get there eventually, but I-"

Alex held up a hand to prevent the brunette from babbling any further. "I get it Marissa…And thank you," she smiles, showing that she understands that the other girl is looking for something real in a relationship…just like she is.

"You're welcome," the other girl replies, relieved at having her rant interrupted.

"Now, if you don't mind, I really do have to finish up here," Alex informs her, trying to make sure that she is aware that she is not simply trying to get rid of her.

"Okay. I'm sure Summer is dying to come back to see if we've killed each other yet anyways," Marissa replies before turning to go once more.

Half way to the door, Marissa pauses and turns towards the other girl once again. "I almost forgot," she chuckles to herself as she walks back over.

"What?" Alex questions in confusion, looking around to see if the other girl left anything.

Marissa, instead of saying anything, stops right in front of the blonde and brings a hand up to tuck a stray lock of blonde hair behind Alex's ear. She then leans in and places the softest of kisses on her lips.

"That," she whispers, her lips brushing against the stunned blonde's as she speaks.

"Oh," is all Alex is able to articulate, her eyes still closed.

Marissa reluctantly pulls away. "I'll see you in class," she smirks at the other girl.

"Yeah," Alex manages to reply, a stupid smile forming across her face.

Once Marissa is out of the bar, she lets out a short squeal of happiness as she pumps her arm triumphantly into the air.

"Good news?" Summer is willing to venture with a smile as she takes in her best friend's demeanor.

"The best," Marissa affirms.

"So, either you beat the hell out of her and I have to call 9-1-1 or you actually scored a date with our beloved boss," the shorter girl deduces.

"She and I are going to give it a shot," Marissa almost squeals again.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," the small brunette whispers under her breath as they get into her car and drive off.

"Don't worry about it Sum," the taller girl brushes it off, having heard her quiet mumblings. "Everything is going to be fine."

"Famous last words," she mumbles skeptically. Once again, Marissa hears what she says. This time, she just decides to ignore her.

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Like, literally, the day after I posted the last chapter I got into a pretty gnarly accident. I am actually _**still **_in the hospital and I will be for another couple of months…like I said, it was _**really**_ bad. So, I had to beg my cousin to bring me my beloved laptop and I can't go online to update my fics. The nurse I usually see is an evil merchant of death…she seriously stabbed me in the arm 8 times to reinsert my IV earlier, but I digress. Anyways, I had to bribe my cousin to take my flash drive and upload the new chapters (hopefully she isn't dragging ass or I'll be pissed).

Chapter eleven of **Taking a Chance** is also available for your viewing pleasure.


	18. Doormat

**A/N**: This chapter includes Alex being an asshole again, although not to Marissa. I still like this chapter for some reason or another. I think I just like the banter between them or something. Enjoy.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_"She and I are going to give it a shot," Marissa almost squeals again._

_"I sure hope you know what you're doing," the small brunette whispers under her breath as they get into her car and drive off._

_"Don't worry about it Sum," the taller girl brushes it off, having heard her quiet mumblings. "Everything is going to be fine."_

_"Famous last words," she mumbles skeptically. Once again, Marissa hears what she says. This time, she just decides to ignore her._

**Chapter Eighteen- Doormat**

"So, you guys are really going to do this?" Summer asks Marissa skeptically as they make their way to their lockers the next morning.

"Yeah. I think we are. Hopefully Alex won't freak out again and try to back out of this," Marissa replies, doubt seeping into her voice. When Summer stops walking and doesn't answer back, she follows her friend's gaze. Leaning against her locker is none other than Alex. She fights back a grin when she sees the blonde bartender. "Hey," she greets as she and her friend approach.

Alex is startled at first, not having heard the pair walk up. "Hey," she says with a small smile of her own.

Summer senses the impending awkwardness of her presence. "I'm just going to head to class and let you two do…whatever," she gestures vaguely with her hands before turning and leaving them alone.

"So…" the blonde trails off, unsure of what to say.

"Yeah," Marissa responds as she searches for something to say. "You're blocking my locker," she settles on as an ice breaker.

Alex turns her head to see the number on said locker before turning her attention back to the other girl with a smirk. "So I am," she agrees with the brunette's assessment.

"I can't get to it with you standing there," Marissa further points out obviously.

The shorter girl pretends to ponder something for a moment. "No, I don't think you can," she affirms gravely.

While a week ago Marissa would have found Alex's attitude obnoxious and annoying, now she finds it oddly endearing. Instead of verbally responding, she chooses to lightly poke the other girl in the side.

"Stop it," Alex giggles as she swats the brunette's hand from her side, moving away from the locker in the process of escaping her grasp.

"Oh my god. I never would have thought that bad ass Alex Kelly would be ticklish," Marissa gasps in mock astonishment.

"Ha ha," the blonde deadpans as she maturely sticks her tongue out at the other girl.

"Put that away unless you intend to use it," Marissa flirts in response to the other girl sticking her tongue out.

"Well, aren't you in a naughty mood this morning Miss Cooper?" Alex questions rhetorically, enjoying this new kind of banter they have established.

Marissa doesn't say anything, she just shoots the other girl a coy smile as she opens her newly freed locker. Alex takes to leaning against the locker next to the brunette's as she blatantly checks her out. They remain in silence until someone interrupts by clearing their throat.

They turn to the newcomer and Alex arches a brow in question to the guy, most likely a freshman or sophomore. "What do you want, Geek?" Alex asks rudely. He appears afraid to answer. "Well?" She prompts impatiently.

"That's my locker you're leaning against," he nervously informs the beautiful blonde blocking him from his locker.

"So?" She snorts in response, earning her a nudge from the girl beside her. Once she has her attention, Marissa mouths for her to 'be nice'. Alex, of course, ignores her and fixes the boy with an intimidating stare.

"Um, nothing. I'll come back," he quickly blurts before running off.

Alex can't help but chuckle slightly and Marissa pokes her in the ribs again, this time a little harder than before. "Ow. What was that for?" She questions indignantly with a scowl.

"That was Dillon Doorman. He has a weak bladder and you probably just made him piss himself," Marissa informs her sternly.

"I knew that it was Dillon 'Doormat', that's why I did it," Alex grins mischievously.

"Well, at least now I know that I'm not the only one you are a total asshole to," Marissa rolls her eyes at the blonde before turning and starting to walk away.

The blonde feels mildly guilty at the other girl's words. She takes a few short steps to catch up with Marissa and she wraps her arms around her waist from behind and rests her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I was an ass," Alex apologizes. At the contact, Marissa stiffens up. "What's wrong?" She wonders obliviously, raising her head and loosening her grip on the other girl.

Marissa steps out of the blonde's embrace completely as she looks around the crowded hallway and apprehensively tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, it's just, I…" she stammers.

Alex scrunches up her brow as she tries to understand what the other girl's problem is. She takes in the brunette's demeanor and her nervousness before it sinks in. "Are you afraid of what people will think of you dating a girl?" She asks incredulously.

Marissa sighs. "Alex, it's just that this is all new to me and, I mean, I'm the social chair and I'm popular and-"

"Don't worry 'Riss, I get it," Alex interrupts with a warm smile. Marissa quirks a skeptical brow. "I was in the closet once too. I know exactly where you're coming from," she assures her.

"Really? You know what it's like to be one of the most popular girls in the school and have your every move watched?" Marissa scoffs in disbelief.

Alex seems to be having an internal debate. _Should I tell her and risk being totally mocked just to make her feel better? _She asks herself. "I was captain of the cheerleading squad and student body president, well, at least before Jodie and I got together," she informs the other girl sheepishly.

"No way," Marissa chuckles.

"Yes way," Alex smirks back. "If at all possible, I was even more spoiled than you," she adds.

"I find all of that very hard to believe."

"There's a reason why Jodie still sometimes calls me 'Princess'," Alex states sincerely.

"I always thought she was just being ironic," the brunette muses.

"Definitely not. But you know what?"

"What?" Marissa replies to the rhetorical question.

"I kind of like being an outcast. There is no pressure to be a certain way. No one cares how I look or who I date. It's a good feeling," she shrugs.

"Unless you're an outcast like Dillon Door_**man**_," Marissa replies smartly, emphasizing the boy's real last name rather than his cruel nickname.

"Oh, come on. He'll be fine and I said I was sorry," Alex now rolls her eyes.

"You said you were sorry to me. I wasn't the one you scared half to death," the brunette replies pointedly.

"Oh come on. You want me to apologize for freaking him out a little?" Alex all but whines.

"You may be an 'outcast', but no one treats you as bad as they treat him. I mean, you're the hot, cool bartender of the Bait Shop and he's the captain of the Chess Club and has a bladder control problem."

"Fine, whatever. I'll apologize to him later or something," Alex grumbles.

"Uh huh. I'll go with you to the library later so that I can make sure that you really do apologize," an unconvinced Marissa replies.

Alex simply scowls in response. "Fine," she grumbles. _Only one day and I'm already whipped_. She snorts to herself.

"Great," Marissa brightens up before surprising them both and grabbing Alex's hand as they make their way to English.

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Summer takes her seat in American History. Seth and Ryan are quick to join her in the back of the room.

"Hey," Seth greets his girlfriend with a peck on the cheek. She responds with a small smile. "So, where's your other half?" He questions, not seeing Marissa around anywhere. "Alex didn't kill her and bury her body on the beach by the Bait Shop, did she?" He questions, suddenly in a panic.

"No!" Summer all but shouts at the suggestion. "Although, Marissa probably _**is**_ with Alex, though," she muses.

"Did one of them lose a bet? Are they working on a project or something?" Seth dumbly questions.

Summer rolls her eyes and Ryan smirks at his friend. "Did they finally get together?" Ryan questions sincerely.

The dark haired girl looks startled by his insightfulness for a moment before composing herself. "Yeah. Last night they talked and Marissa told me that they were going to give it a shot. I didn't believe it at first, but Alex met us at Marissa's locker this morning and, well, I felt all third wheel-ish and left," Summer explains.

"So, Marissa and…" Seth trails off as he glances towards the door to the classroom. "Alex," he finishes his sentence wistfully as both girls enter the room together, matching smiles on their faces.

"Ew, Pervert. Stop staring at them like that," Summer orders her boyfriend at she punches him in the arm.

"Like what?" He questions innocently.

"Like you were picturing them together naked," Ryan answers for the short brunette.

"Exactly," she nods in agreement before turning suspiciously to Ryan. "That goes for you too," she says, hitting him in the arm as well.

"What?" Ryan asks in shock as he rubs his injured arm.

"That's me making sure that you don't picture it either," Summer informs him sternly.

"See, now at least _**I**_ try not to assault anyone before noon," Alex jokes as she and Marissa approach the three of them.

"No, _**you**_ just make people piss themselves," Marissa clarifies with a pointed smirk.

"So, Alex," Seth says in an effort to get the blonde's attention. "You and Marissa, huh?" He questions, wagging his eyebrow suggestively. This earns him a simultaneous beating from Alex, Marissa, and Summer. "Ow," he whines.

"Is it so hard for you to _**pretend**_ that you have a brain?" Alex questions the boy rhetorically.

Seth looks to Ryan for support. "Sorry. You had that coming," the sandy-haired boy shrugs in response.

"So, anyway, Alex, are you joining us for lunch today?" She asks the bartender.

Marissa cuts in before her girlfriend can answer. "She can't. She and I have to go to the library. Don't we?" She nudges the other girl in an effort to remind her.

"Yeah," Alex grumbles her agreement.

"Why are you guys going to the library? Do we have a test or something coming up?" Summer inquires, trying not to start hyperventilating.

This time Alex answers for Marissa. "Nothing like that. We're going to have sex in the Reference section," she replies nonchalantly.

The other three gape. "I…I…You two…In the…Naked…" Seth stammers, completely gob-smacked by Alex's blatancy.

"What he said," Summer replies, equally dumbfounded.

Marissa smacks Alex lightly in the arm and tries not to blush too much. "I'm just kidding. 'Rissa," she pauses to drape an arm over the other girl's shoulder, "has a pregnancy test that she _**insists**_ on studying for," the blonde informs the other three dramatically.

"Can you study for a-"

"No…but she didn't believe me when I told her that," Alex whispers conspiratorially to Seth as she cuts off his question.

Marissa turns a deeper shade of red as Summer and Ryan chuckle at Alex. "Actually, Alex has to apologize to Dillon Doorman for being an asshole and causing him to lose control of his bladder this morning. Isn't that right, Princess?" The brunette smirks at the scowl Alex shoots her for using that nickname.

"Wow, not even dating a whole day and she already has Alex apologizing for being a bitch," Seth says to Ryan, although they can all hear him. "So, Marissa, do you think that you could get Alex to let me off of doing the bathrooms for a whole months?" He almost begs the other girl.

"You totally deserve that. You're lucky neither Alex nor Summer maimed you for what you said," Marissa laughs at the boy.

"Okay, class. Quite down," the teacher informs them all as she enters the room, effectively ending their conversation.

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"This is stupid," Alex grumbles as Marissa drags her, as promised, into the library.

"No, it isn't," the brunette insists as they go searching for the boy in question.

"It's not like it was that big of a deal."

"Maybe not to you," Marissa fires back. "There he is," she points the kid out and nudges the blonde towards him as she follows behind.

Alex walks awkwardly up to the large table in the corner of the library where Dillon is seated. She approaches him slowly with her hands buried in her pockets and her head hanging down slightly.

"Hey Dillon," she mumbles in an effort to get his attention.

The shaggy-haired boy looks up from his laptop, startled. "Uh, hi," he greets nervously, trying not to look her in the eye.

Alex pauses and glances behind her to look at Marissa, who offers an encouraging smile. "I just wanted to say that I am sorry for earlier at the lockers. I was unnecessarily rude to you and I was out of line," she offers as an apology.

The younger boy seems taken back by the other girl's words. "Thank you, Alex," he replies sincerely before glancing over at the brunette smiling sweetly at the girl in front of him.

"I'll see you around then," Alex replies, momentarily stricken by how Dillon even knows her name. She slowly turns around and walks back to the other girl.

"That wasn't so hard. Was it?" Marissa smirks as she offers her girlfriend a brief, innocent peck on the cheek as she takes her hand.

Alex grins back as she entwines their fingers. "I guess not. But, you aren't going to make me apologize to everyone I've ever been mean to at this school are you? If you do, then we're going to need a lot longer than this lunch period to accomplish that," she tells her girlfriend.

"No. It would probably be easier to send out a mass email…or post a banner or something that says 'Alex Kelly is sorry for being a bitch'," Marissa jokes as she moves closer to Alex.

"Well, when you talk like that, it's so easy to believe that you're the sensitive one in this relationship," Alex replies sarcastically as they exit the library, still holding hands.

Unbeknownst to the couple, Dillon witnessed their entire interaction. Currently, he is using their idea of a mass email, only he is doing so to inform everyone at the school that Marissa Cooper, social chair and man-eater, is dating Alex Kelly, bar manager and heart-breaker. He hits send and can do nothing more than wait for the fallout.

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Chapter Twelve of **Taking a Chance** should be up too…depending on how lazy my cousin is.

Sorry if this chapter is long. It kind of got away from me. I actually had no idea where this chapter was going to go until I started writing it. I have no clue where the whole 'Dillon Doorman' thing came from or how it got to be such a major part in this chapter. I guess he was just meant to be the catalyst to outing Marissa.

Also, in addition to a couple of _The O.C._ fics that I mentioned before that I was working on, I am also working on some _House_ fics. One of the stories that I have been working on since I was hospitalized is an, almost obligatory, _House_/_O.C._ crossover fic. I think it's a new idea, but I haven't been on since my accident. More info on the stories should be on my profile page.

And, as always, let me know what you think or if there is anything you would like to see in this fic and I can try to work it in.


	19. The Fallout

**A/N**: Yes, I know I took forever getting this chapter up and I'm sorry. But we get a bit of Malex action, Alex being all bad-ass again, and a car ride from hell. Enjoy.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_Unbeknownst to the couple, Dillon witnessed their entire interaction. Currently, he is using their idea of a mass email, only he is doing so to inform everyone at the school that Marissa Cooper, social chair and man-eater, is dating Alex Kelly, bar manager and heart-breaker. He hits send and can do nothing more than wait for the fallout._

**Chapter Nineteen- The Fallout**

It's Tuesday afternoon and Marissa walks up to Summer, Ryan, and Seth in the hallway as they make their way to the cafeteria for lunch. She notices the odd looks people are giving her as she walks by.

"Is it me or has everyone been acting weird all day?" Marissa asks her friends.

The trio share a brief glance. "You didn't happen to check your email in the last 24 hours did you?" Ryan cautiously questions her.

"No, why?" She wonders as they make their way down the hall.

"Uh, where's Alex?" Seth inquires, not wanting to have this conversation.

"She said she had something to take care of before lunch. Now what's the problem?" She continues, not deterred by the attempt at a distraction.

The others don't get a chance to reply as they enter the cafeteria. There is a sudden commotion on the other side of the room by a row of tables.

"What the hell is going on?" Summer grumbles as the four of them go over to see what is happening.

_**----------------------------------------------------------------------**_

**Five Minutes Earlier**

Alex stalks off down the hallway after getting out of class. She has her jaw set and a fiery expression in her eyes. Having read her email during class when she should have been doing research, she found a mass email in her inbox courtesy of a certain shaggy-haired underclassmen.

The library yielded no results so she is making her way to the cafeteria to confront Dillon for outing her girlfriend. Seeing the murderous glint in her eyes and knowing the girl's reputation, the other students, and a few teachers, scatter so as not to get in her way. She is clearly a woman on a mission.

The blonde steps into the cafeteria and pauses. She narrows her eyes and seeks out the younger boy, surveying the area like a predator hunting its prey. A moment later, she hones in on her target and makes a beeline for him. Once behind him, she grabs his shoulders and turns him around to face her.

Fear flits across his face and he opens his mouth to apologize. Before any words have a chance to make it past his lips, a fist quickly makes contact with his nose. The entire cafeteria now has their eyes on the pair.

"What is your problem?" Alex growls out as he staggers backwards and brings his hands up to his bloodied nose.

"My prob'em? You just 'it me," Dillon defends himself, his voice distorted as he pinches his nose and tilts his head back to slow the flow of blood.

"You stupid little fucker," the blonde grinds out as she advances on his retreating form and delivers a right hook to the side of his head.

He stumbles back and lands into a vacant seat at a nearby table. "I'm sorry," he quickly offers.

"Why did you do it? I apologized to you and you pulled _**this **_shit!" She shouts at his cowering form. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" She barks, knowing that Marissa is going to freak out when she finds out…if she doesn't already know by now. Thoroughly disgusted by the boy, she scoffs at him before leaving the cafeteria to find someplace to cool down.

The people still standing by the table stare at him open-mouthed. Some are amazed that he had the balls to even tell anyone about Marissa and Alex given the blonde's reputation. Others appear scornful for having done it. Everyone else, not having bothered with their email, looks on wondering what the hell just happened. They don't know if they should feel bad for the boy or not.

As the crowd begins to gradually disperse, four students push their way to the center of the crowd to find Dillon sitting in a seat holding his bloodied nose and appearing dazed. Seth, Summer, and Ryan share a knowing look, having an idea as to who is to behind this. Marissa just seems confused.

"What happened?" Marissa asks the injured boy with concern.

Dillon, just noticing there are people standing right in front of him, glances up. As soon as he sees who just spoke to him, his eyes go wide with fear and he clambers to a standing position. "I…I…uh…" then he turns and runs away, not wanting to be assaulted by the other half of the couple he outed yesterday.

"That was weird," the brunette notes before looking towards her friends. "Did I do something to freak him out?" She asks them, her brows furrowed in thought.

"Something tells me Alex found out," Seth mumbles in a sing-song voice, trying to keep his voice low enough that the other girl doesn't hear him.

"Alex found what out?" Marissa questions because Seth wasn't as quiet as he thought.

"Okay. Coop, Sweetie, you may want to sit down for this," Summer states as she eases her best friend into a chair. The other three join her at the table. "Now, you were totally busy last night with trying to catch up on homework, so you, unfortunately didn't get a chance to check your email," the dark-haired girl attempts to ease into the conversation.

Marissa blushes. She _**meant**_ to catch up on her reading for English…but she had Alex over and they ended up making out instead. "Actually…" she trails off after a moment in her attempt to correct her best friend's assumptions.

Summer, sensing what the other girl is going to tell her will be something she doesn't want to hear, raises her hand up to silence her friend. "I don't want to know. My point is-"

"Dillon outed you and Alex in an email he sent out to everyone at the school," Seth blurts out, unable to hold back anymore. As Ryan punches him in the arm, Summer whacks him with her purse. Hard. "Ow," he whimpers.

"What?!" Marissa squeaks out, gaining the attention of the other three. She clenches her eyes shut tightly. "I need to sit down," she whispers to herself.

"You are sitting down," Ryan gently informs her.

Looking down at her seated position, Marissa acknowledges the truth in his statement. "Then I need to dig a hole and bury myself in it," she replies.

"It'll be okay though, Coop. Nobody has done anything mean to you and, I mean, everyone likes you. You're super popular and people are scared of Alex, so they aren't going to really mess you with anyways because she'll kick their ass…Like she did with Dillon," Summer rants in an effort to cheer her friend up.

"Do you really think Alex did that to him?" Marissa inquires, torn between feeling upset that her girlfriend would do that to someone and being happy that she defended her like that.

The other three share another look before simultaneously replying: "Yes."

Marissa blinks in response. "Oh," she states simply.

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Marissa opens the door to the Bait Shop slightly. She quietly enters and shuts the door before making her way to the club's sole occupant standing in the island bar with her back to the door.

"You know, just once, I would like to see if you could make it through an entire day of school," the taller girl says, gaining a small amount of pleasure through the other girl's gasp of surprise as she turns around.

"You know, you shouldn't sneak up on people," Alex informs her girlfriend as she wraps her arms around her waist affectionately.

"Why's that?" Marissa questions cheekily.

"Because they might get mad," is the smirking reply before the shorter of the two moves in for a kiss. She meets nothing but air and opens her eyes to look at her girlfriend in confusion.

"Nuh uh," the brunette shakes her head with a stern expression on her face. "I'm upset with you right now…I think," she informs her.

"You _**think**_ you're upset with me? How does that work? And, also, why? We barely saw each other today," the bartender clearly expresses her concern and displeasure, especially after the taller girl removes Alex's hands from around her waist.

"You can't just go around beating up everyone that pisses you off, Alex," the taller girl bluntly states.

Alex rolls her eyes at that. "Oh, that," she scoffs.

"Yeah, _**that**_," Marissa emphasizes. "On the other hand…" she trails off, earning a raised eyebrow from her girlfriend. "It was kind of sweet that you would do that for me," catching the amused look on the other girl's face, she quickly backtracks. "At least in your own, unique brand of problem-solving and confrontational skills, it was sweet."

"Uh huh," the blonde smirks, knowing that the other girl doesn't mind as much as she pretends to. "So, what brings you here in the middle of the day?" She gets back on her earlier topic.

"I went to find you after I found out about Dillon and, well, I couldn't. I decided to check here before going to your apartment," Marissa explains.

"Ditching school. My, my, Ms. Cooper. How irresponsible of you," the shorter girl jokes before moving in and placing a light, and welcomed, kiss on her lips.

"So, _**Ms. Kelly**_," Marissa begins, gently mocking the other girl's tone. "How about we get back to school and finish our last classes of the day?" She offers in a low, sultry tone.

Alex, for her part, is at first swept up by the sexy lull of the brunette's voice, then her words sink in and she scowls in response. "Ew, why?" She questions, displaying her obvious distaste at the suggestion.

"Because I don't want you to get suspended or held back for missing too much school. I would rather not be dating someone still in high school after graduation," she retorts.

The blonde looks at her and Marissa returns the gesture. The pair engage in a brief staring contest before the taller of the two arches her eyebrow slightly. With a sigh, Alex looks away and runs a hand through her hair.

"Fine," Alex groans, frustrated with herself for giving in so easily. She could almost hear Jodie's voice in the back of her head calling her a 'pussy' and 'totally whipped'.

Marissa grins, happy that she got the other girl to give into her…again. "Great. I'll drive," she says in a tone that implies that there is no room for argument.

"Okay," the shorter of the two agrees reluctantly, unsure about the brunette's driving skills.

"Get your stuff and let's get going Girlfriend," is the playful demand made in response to the agreement.

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Upon arrival at the parking lot of Harbor High, Alex opens the passenger's side door and tumbles out of the vehicle. She lands soundly on her ass with her back against the door and her right hand still gripping onto it.

Marissa calmly exits on her side of the car and, wondering where her girlfriend disappeared to, walks around to the other side. Rolling her eyes, she places her hands on her hips and looks down. "Come on Alex. It wasn't _**that **_bad," she scolds.

The blonde merely looks up and stares at the other girl for a moment. She takes a deep breath and pulls herself up, grabbing her messenger bag from the floor of the car as she does so.

"Uh…um…Yeah," Alex stammers in response to Marissa's statement, not even sure what the girl even said anymore.

"Hey, there they are!" Seth calls out from somewhere behind them, causing Alex to nearly jump out of her skin and turn around to face the geeky boy.

Summer narrows her eyes as she sees the two girls. She takes in the wide-eyed, shaking blonde clutching her bag tightly to her chest, the calm demeanor of her best friend and the presence of only one of the two girls' cars. Adding these components together, she reaches a conclusion, her own eyes widening at the revolution.

"Oh my god Coop! Did you drive her back here?!" Summer exclaims, suddenly feeling very sorry for the blonde.

"Yeah," Marissa replies slowly, glancing at her girlfriend from the corner of her eye. She notices the disapproving look on her friend's face. "Look, she's fine," she points out defensively.

"The squirrel you hit isn't fine," the traumatized teen replies, trying to block the memory of the innocent little critter minding its own business before-

"It shouldn't have been in the way of traffic," the brunette tries to explain, effectively cutting off the other girl's thoughts.

"What traffic?!" Alex snaps out. "When is there ever traffic on the sidewalk? Except for when _**you **_are behind the wheel," she questions, regaining some of her senses.

"Yeah, well, it was either hit the squirrel or hit another car. Another car that, might I add, came out of nowhere," Marissa fires back, getting a little irritated by her driving skills being challenged. "Besides, the squirrel was still moving when I looked back…kind of," she adds.

"The other car didn't come out of nowhere. You went through a red light! If you hadn't been trying to reapply your lip gloss, then both the other car, the squirrel and my mental health wouldn't have been damaged," Alex argues.

By now, the brunette is more than frustrated by the shorter girl. "Why did I have to reapply my lip gloss, Alex?" She challenges, placing her hands on her hips and tilting her head to the side with a barely veiled smirk.

"Well…in the…we were…That's beside the point!" The bartender flounders before spitting out the last part, putting her hands on her own hips to mirror the other girl's stance.

They glare at one another for a moment. "Fine!" Marissa finally cries out, throwing her arms in the air.

"Fine!" Alex repeats before picking up her bag, which fell to the ground during their argument, and stalking off.

"Uh…" Ryan trails off after the blonde's exit, trying to comprehend the entire encounter.

"Please, she's going to need a ride home," Marissa smirks triumphantly at her friends before leaving them alone.

"What the hell was that?" Summer finally blurts out, still trying to wrap her mind around the conversation.

"I think we just witnessed their first fight as a couple," Ryan supplies helpfully.

"Someone really needs to teach Marissa how to drive," Seth notes and Summer, for once, nods in agreement and doesn't have to bother beating him with her purse for saying something stupid.

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So, this is long overdue and kind of…silly near the end. The end is actually, loosely, based on something that actually occurred a year or so ago (I was the traumatized passenger).

Yeah, anyways, let me know what you think…even if it's just to let me know that you are still interested.

Also, for those of you who don't already know, I finally finished _**Taking a Chance**_ earlier this week, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already. I have the first chapter of it's sequel finished, but I am going to wait to flesh out some more of the story before posting…sometime next month.

One more thing, this story is finally winding down somewhat. It is going to be longer than 20 chapters, but less than 25. If you have any requests, let me know now. And, once again, thanks for reading.


	20. Overreacting!

**A/N**: I know Dillon was a douche for outing Marissa…and he paid for it. I made him do that because I think that nothing good can ever come from being nice to people…because I am a mean-spirited bitch. :D

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_What the hell was that?" Summer finally blurts out, still trying to wrap her mind around the conversation._

"_I think we just witnessed their first fight as a couple," Ryan supplies helpfully._

"_Someone really needs to teach Marissa how to drive," Seth notes and Summer, for once, nods in agreement and doesn't have to bother beating him with her purse for saying something stupid._

**Chapter Twenty- Overreacting?!**

Alex fled her Government class before Marissa had a chance to catch up with her. Somehow the girls managed to forget that they had their last two classes together. Since they were fighting, the blonde decided that she was going to ditch her last class to avoid her girlfriend.

Yet, in her haste, Alex forgot a very important thing: she rode in with Marissa. So, she is now standing in front of the school with her cell phone glued to her ear as she tries to reach her best friend.

After three rings, it finally picks up. "Jodie, thank god," she sighs in relief.

"_What's wrong?"_ The brunette immediately asks, noting the dire tone in her friend's voice.

"I need you to pick me up from school and get me to the Bait Shop," Alex quickly replies.

"_Did your car break down or something?" _Jodie wonders.

This gives the blonde pause. Now she has to explain herself. "No. My car is there and…Could you just please come and get me?" She asks, not wanting to talk about it over the phone.

"_Fine. I'll be there in fifteen minutes," _the older woman sighs, knowing she isn't going to get anymore answers from her friend right now.

Alex drops onto the curb and waits impatiently for her friend to show up. As if to spite her, Jodie rolls up after twenty minutes instead of fifteen.

"It fucking took you long enough," the blonde grumbles as she rips open the door and slides into the passenger seat.

"Wow, what climbed up your ass and splintered off?" Jodie questions, thrown off by the other girl's attitude.

"Marissa," Alex grunts as they begin the drive towards the Bait Shop.

"Sounds kinky," Jodie smirks, earning a sidelong glare from the taller girl. "What happened?" She relents, knowing that she has to ask sooner or later.

"She's a horrible driver and almost got us killed on the way to school from the Bait Shop," she tries not to whine as she recalls her horror.

At the revelation, Jodie slams on her brakes, much to the chagrin of the people behind her. "You are avoiding her because she's a shitty driver?" Is the incredulous response.

"No, you do _**not **_get to be judgmental Jo. You once dumped a girl because you found out that she didn't like ketchup and preferred to dip her fries in mustard," Alex defensively points out. "At least I got upset because my _**life was in danger!**_" She shouts in aggravation.

"Move your ass!" Someone in one of the cars behind them shouts before laying on his horn.

Jodie leans her head out the window. "Fuck you!" She counters with a raised middle finger before turning her attention back to the other girl. "First of all: fries in mustard is just unnatural. Secondly: you are probably just being a drama queen," the brunette brushes off her friend's concern as she begins to drive again.

"Marissa killed a squirrel…or at least crippled it," the blonde replies honestly, having sunk down in her seat in embarrassment at the older woman's outburst.

"So what if she put a squirrel in a wheelchair? Apologize for being too sensitive and move the fuck on," she brushes her friend off when she pulls into the parking lot for the Bait Shop.

"Did I mention I could have been killed?" Alex snorts in disbelief at her friend's reaction to her dangerous brush with death.

"Yeah, one or twice you big baby," Jodie smirks. The blonde merely glares before exiting the car and getting into her Jeep.

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"And how the hell did she even leave? She couldn't have walked back to her car!" Marissa finds herself ranting to Summer as the pair make their way out of their last class.

"Maybe she called Jodie to give her a ride," Summer points out reasonably.

"That would just be so like Alex. One little disagreement and she totally blows it out of proportion," Marissa continues in irritation.

"Uh, Coop, you know that your driving, uh, leaves a lot to be desired…don't you?" She questions hesitantly.

"What are we talking about?" Seth interrupts as he and Ryan make their way over to the two girls.

"God Seth, you have the worst timing," Summer whines as she shoves him away when he tries to give her a kiss.

"Oh, did you bring up her scary driving?" He questions, looking between his girlfriend and Marissa.

"It's not that bad," the taller girl tries to defend herself.

"No, of course not, Honey. It's just that-"

"Don't try and sugar-coat it. The girl drives like she learned how to drive by playing _Grand Theft Auto_," the dark-haired boy cuts in once again.

"Ryan, tell them that they're being stupid," Marissa tries to appeal to her other friend.

"They kind of have a point. The first time I rode with you I wanted to kiss the ground once I got out of the car," Ryan admits.

"Am I really that bad?" She questions, letting it sink in.

Summer glances at the guys before approaching her best friend. She places a hand on her shoulder in support. "Maybe you should let me do the driving for a while," she offers, attempting to take the keys out of the taller girl's hand.

"Fine," Marissa groans. "But we're going to go see Alex," she adds on as she relinquishes custody of her keys over to her friend.

"Hey, can Ryan and I-"

"No," Summer snaps at him, knowing that he just wants to tag along in hopes of getting to see Alex and Marissa make-out.

"Whatever," Seth grumbles, earning a smirk from Ryan.

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"God Alex, were you this stubborn when we were dating?" Jodie questions as she enters the blonde's living room and drops down on the couch next to her.

"I don't know, were you this much of an annoying ass when we were dating?" Alex questions in a mocking tone as she mindlessly flips through the channels on the TV.

"Yes," the brunette nods before making a lunge for the taller of the two as she tries to wrestle the remote away from the other girl. "Give it to me!" She grunts, reaching for the remote.

"No," Alex replies, easily holding the controller just out of her friend's reach.

"Give it!" Jodie tries again.

"No. I won't let you make me watch stupid-ass _Seinfeld _again," the blonde snorts.

Jodie pushes herself off of the younger girl. She sits silently watching some rerun of _Wife Swap_ on Lifetime. An idea suddenly strikes her and she smirks before getting up off the couch and into another room.

"What are you doing?" Alex questions, suddenly worried. Jodie wordlessly reenters with the other girl's cell phone and she hits send. "Who are you calling?" She asks, beginning to panic as she stands up to face her friend.

Jodie merely puts a finger up to silence the blonde. "Hey, it's Jodie…Yeah and she wants to talk to you," she replies to whatever the person on the other end said before tossing the phone to the taller girl.

"Hello?" Alex cautiously questions into her cell.

"_Alex?" _The other person asks, trying to confirm who they're talking to.

"Marissa, hey," the blonde replies, smacking herself in the forehead and making a mental note to kill Jodie.

"_Uh, what's up?" _Marissa continues, shrugging at the questioning look Summer is giving her as they continue on their way to Alex's apartment after dropping by the Bait Shop to look for her.

"Nothing much. Just…hanging out," Alex lamely answers, glaring at her smirking friend.

"_Jodie said you wanted to talk to me," _the other girl comes out and says, wanting to know what the blonde wants.

"Yeah. She kind of just…called without my knowing," is the honest reply, which earns her a punch in the arm from the disapproving brunette in front of her. 'Ow', she mouths to her assailant.

"Get over it," Jodie snorts before moodily dropping down onto the couch.

"_Oh," _Marissa breathes out in disappointment.

Summer nudges her friend to get her attention. "Just tell her," she quietly orders.

"Look 'Riss. I'm sorry I freaked out at school," Alex grimaces, not thinking that she should even be the one to apologize.

"_No, I'm sorry for not paying attention when I was driving," _Marissa sighs. _"It was my fault," _she admits, even though she still is convinced that the blonde overreacted a little.

The blonde decides not to push the topic any further. "So, are you on your way home?" She questions, noticing the time.

"_No. Summer and I are on our way to your apartment," _Marissa grins, happy that they were able to get over the whole 'bad driving' thing so easily.

"How close are you?" Alex wonders before frantically looking around to make sure the place isn't a total disaster.

"_We're pulling up right now," _the brunette announces.

"See you in a minute then," Alex smiles before hanging up the phone. "Get off your ass and help me pick up these bottles," she orders Jodie as she begins picking up some of the empty beer bottles scattered around the apartment.

"Get 'em yourself. I'm not your fucking maid," Jodie snorts as she takes a swig of a beer sitting on the table next to her that isn't totally empty. She spits it back in the bottle. "Ew," she gasps.

"That's what you get," the other girl smirks. "Don't you have a place of your own to destroy?" She questions sarcastically.

"Yeah, but you never clean my apartment," the shorter woman points out as she stands up to pour out the warm, stale beer.

Before Alex can respond, there is a knock at the door. "Be nice," she orders her friend as she goes over to the door, checking to make sure that it's Summer and Marissa and not her landlord. She's three days late on rent.

Outside, Summer keeps casting furtive glances around her. "We're not going to get shot, are we Coop?" She asks seriously.

"Summer," Marissa responds in a chastising tone. Before she can say anything else, the door opens to reveal the blonde bar manager. "Hey Alex," she greets her girlfriend with a smile as she enters, closely followed by Summer.

"Hey," the slightly shorter of the two says back. "I missed you," she states, referring to the part of the afternoon where they weren't speaking.

"I missed you too. I'm sorry about before," Marissa repeats with a smile.

Jodie looks over at the couple making eyes at each other and she scrunches up her face. "Ew, just spare me," she snorts at their display.

"Shut up, it's cute," Summer counters, smacking the Jodie in the arm for emphasis.

"Whatever," the other brunette grumbles, rubbing her arm. "They've only been dating for, like, two days and they're already fighting and making up," she doesn't hesitate to add.

Summer looks over at the other two girls, obviously not paying them any attention seeing as how they're too wrapped up in each other. "Well, as long as the extent of their drama only reaches as far as Marissa's shitty driving, then I think we're safe," she chuckles.

"I guess," Jodie acquiesces watching Alex and her girlfriend sitting together on the couch already making out. "Alex hasn't said anything about Marissa's family freaking out, so I'm guessing they're okay with their daughter dating another chick," she shrugs, deciding that things could be worse.

At the mention of Marissa's parents, Summer's fond smile drops. "Oh, about that…" she trails off sheepishly.

"Marissa's parents don't know that she's not driving stick anymore?!" Jodie questions a little louder than she intended.

After turning to look at Jodie, Marissa and Alex share a look of realization. "Oh shit," Marissa squeaks out at the thought of her mother.

"Sucks to be you," Jodie understates before going to grab a beer.

"Get me one!" The other three call out at the same time, as they all ponder how bad the wrath of Julie Cooper will rain down on Newport once she finds out about her oldest daughter dating the girl who runs the Bait Shop.

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Once again, I'm sorry it took so long to update this story. This story has me kind of stuck because it got away from me a little. So, be patient if it takes me a while to update…any suggestions are welcome. I am thinking that Julie Cooper is long overdue in making an appearance though. ;)

I generally like to post new chapters to different stories at the same time. Working on the sequel to _**Taking a Chance**_ just kind of distracted me and that's part of the reason why this took so long as well. You can find the first chapter of the sequel, _**Taking Risks and Tempting Fate**_, in the _House, MD_ section.

Also, I've updated my profile to show how far along I am on my other stories. Check back often.

So, anyways, let me know what you think.


	21. The Study Session

**A/N**: Takes place the Tuesday after the last chapter. Includes some minor dialogue taken from _The Rainy Day Women_ episode, but nothing too major.

**A/N2**: Mentions of sex, but not graphic. Sorry. At least this is the longest chapter so far…and Julie is in it!

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_Marissa's parents don't know that she's not driving stick anymore?!" Jodie questions a little louder than she intended. _

_After turning to look at Jodie, Marissa and Alex share a look of realization. "Oh shit," Marissa squeaks out at the thought of her mother. _

"_Sucks to be you," Jodie understates before going to grab a beer._

"_Get me one!" The other three call out at the same time, as they all ponder how bad the wrath of Julie Cooper will rain down on Newport once she finds out about her oldest daughter dating the girl who runs the Bait Shop._

**Chapter Twenty-One - The Study Session**

The final bell of the day rings and the students begin to pile out of their classroom, ignoring the teacher's final order of homework. Once outside of the room, Alex wastes no time taking a hold of her girlfriend's hand, earning a shy smile from the brunette.

"So, what are we doing today?" Marissa asks with a grin.

"Well, _**I **_am dropping _**you **_off at your palace so that I can take care of some stuff at the Bait Shop," Alex smirks in response.

"'Palace' my ass. Jodie told me that your parents' place is bigger than mine…_**Princess**_," the taller girl chuckles, gaining a great sense of pleasure from the fact that that particular nickname irks her girlfriend as much as it does.

The blonde rolls her eyes in response. "Hey, you never got the chance to tell me how you did on the pop quiz from English yesterday," she points out, realizing that they got sidetracked by Seth and Summer when she asked about it during lunch.

"Do you have to take me back to my house? Why can't I just go to the Bait Shop with you?" Marissa whines, deliberately ignoring the question.

"Fine, but I actually have to get some work done this time," Alex replies seriously. She takes a moment to stare at the other girl for a moment. "You totally avoided my question again!"

"I did not!" Marissa indignantly replies. There is a moment's pause. "Okay, maybe I did," she sheepishly admits.

"How bad did you do?" The bartender questions, knowing that it must be pretty bad for the other girl to dodge her question like she did.

"Well…he gave me 20 points for putting my name on the page and-"

"Did you answer any of the actual questions right?" The shorter of the two specifies.

"Um, no. But, in my defense, Mr. Bowen is a jerk and the reading is really stupid," she lamely points out.

"You know, I would've helped if you just asked me to, right?" Alex arches an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"But you're this big literature geek and-"

"Could you not say that so loud? I still have a reputation to keep," the other girl interrupts, glancing around to see if anyone heard her being referred to as a 'literature geek'.

"Whatever, Lit Girl. I just didn't want you to think that I was a total loser for asking you to help," Marissa finishes.

"Aw, 'Riss," Alex sighs as she pulls the other girl into a loose embrace. "I wouldn't think you were a loser for asking for help. I think you're a loser for failing the quiz," she smirks.

"That's not funny," Marissa grumps as she disentangles herself from the blonde. For a moment, she thought that she was going to get another of those rare glimpses of her girlfriend's sensitive side. She was wrong.

"I'm sorry," Alex apologizes as she unlocks the passenger door of the Jeep for the taller girl before going to the driver's side to get in. They came to a mutual agreement that Alex would be doing the driving for a while.

Marissa chances a glance over in the blonde's direction as she starts the car. She realizes that the other girl is being sincere, eliciting a small smile.

"Hey Alex," she drawls out slowly.

"Yes," the blonde responds in the same tone.

"Maybe when you're done at the Bait Shop, we can go back to my house and you can help me study for the test on Thursday," she suggests.

Alex turns her attention slightly to the other girl as she stops at a red light. She takes a moment to determine whether or not the brunette is serious. "Sure," she simply replies with a shrug.

"Really?" Marissa questions, surprised that her girlfriend didn't try and make a joke out of it.

"Did you think I would say no and tell you to suck it up or something?" Alex chuckles before casting another sidelong glance at the taller girl. "Besides, I've been wanting to see your bedroom again," she smirks.

"All you had to do was ask," Marissa grins cheekily. The girl in the driver's seat merely rolls her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

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**An Hour Later**

"I'm bored," Marissa declares from her position seated at the bar as soon as her girlfriend steps out of the storeroom for the fourth time in the last 20 minutes. The brunette is sitting with her head propped up on her hand.

Alex pauses in front of the door. "I distinctly remember telling you that I had to get some work done today," she points out, recalling their brief conversation in the car.

"I know, but you had to 'get work done' yesterday too and we ended up making-out in your office instead," the brunette retorts.

"Which is why I have to finish it today," the shorter of the two chuckles as she walks over to the bar.

"Can I at least have something with alcohol in it?" She questions, earning her an arched eyebrow in response. "Well, you _**are **_a bartender," she states.

"And you _**are**_ under 21," Alex snarks back in the same tone. "You can go to my office and catch up on your reading," she suggest with a smirk, referring to the books in her office, many of which are from the reading list from their English class.

The prospect of invading the other girl's office again piques her interest. "Can I check my email?" She asks hopefully.

"Fine," Alex rolls her eyes good-naturedly as she hands the brunette her keys so that she can unlock the door. "No surfing for porn though," she warns.

"I told you that it wasn't me. Jodie must have been the one that…" Marissa trails off on her defense as she notices the amused look on her girlfriend's face. "Oh, ha ha," she snorts sarcastically before heading towards the office so that her girlfriend can finish up.

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**9:00 pm- Marissa's Room**

"This is so depressing. What else do we have to read?" Marissa questions as she searches through her notebook for the class outline.

"Of course it's depressing, it's Edgar Allan Poe," Alex rolls her eyes and sighs.

Having already gone over the three short stories and six poems that will be on their test on Thursday, they are just left with "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven", both works of Edgar Allan Poe. Marissa is sitting cross-legged on her bed while her girlfriend is comfortably laying on her back with her head hanging over the edge of the bed so that she can stare at the wall.

"I mean, since this guy is all that's left, we can probably just skip him and I'll just hope that there won't be too much about his stuff on the test," Marissa attempts to push the rest of the studying aside.

"Our quiz yesterday was just on Poe. Somehow I doubt that Bowen's going to skip over him on the test," Alex snorts in disbelief .

"I mean, the 'Heart' one I kind of get anyways. We've been going over that one for, like, twenty minutes. Clearly the narrator was crazy and guilty and crap. It was his own heartbeat and all that he was hearing. 'The Raven' is just about some lonely guy thinking about some chick that died who freaks out over some talking bird," the brunette points out, hoping that knowing the basics of the Poe readings will be enough to get the blonde to let her off the hook.

"What style of writing is Poe known for?" Alex asks, deciding to quiz the girl for herself.

Grumbling at the more serious side of her girlfriend, Marissa tries to wrack her memory without having to refer to her notes. "Emo?" She guesses half-heartedly.

At this, Alex can't help but laugh despite herself. "Close," she chuckles, shaking her head.

Marissa smiles as the blonde's body continues to shake with suppressed laughter. "Gothic fiction," she finally replies seriously. "Lex, really, this isn't necessary. I don't want to keep talking about a stupid talking raven chillin' in some guy's house," she sighs after a moment.

"Mocking one of the most famous poems ever written is _**so **_not the way to get on my good side," the girl with the purple streak in her hair replies as she shifts so that her head is no longer hanging over the edge of the bed, but she is still laying down.

"I don't know what makes it so great," Marissa scoffs as she goes to lay on her side next her girlfriend.

Alex rolls over on her side to face the brunette as she considers the other girl. "Poe once said that the death of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetic topic in the world. To tell it from the lips of the bereaved lover is the way best suited to achieve the desired effect," she quietly explains, brushing a stray lock of hair from her girlfriend's face, her fingers lingering on her cheek.

"Better be careful Alexis," Marissa whispers as she looks into the deep blue eyes of the shorter girl.

"Why's that?" She questions, confusion written on her face.

"Because you're bordering on sounding romantic right now," Marissa replies softly.

"Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Alex smiles tenderly.

"Don't want to ruin your reputation," the other girl gamely responds, her voice still low. She leans close enough to brush her nose against Alex's, their lips still not quite touching.

"Poe wanted a 'non-reasoning creature capable of speech' as the central symbol. Why did he choose a raven instead of a parrot, which can actually talk?" Alex questions in hushed tone, trying not to break out into a grin.

Marissa groans in frustration as she reaches over to grab a pillow. She promptly smacks the blonde in the face with it. "You're such a tease," she accuses her.

"The raven symbolized mournful and never-ending remembrance. There are two ravens in Norse mythology that represent thought and memory," Alex begins to explain. "It gets a reputation as being a bad omen in the book of Genesis by-"

"I can't believe you are _**such **_a closet bookworm," the brunette interrupts before straddling the other girl and beginning to tickle her sides.

"He was also inspired by 'Grip' from Charles Dickens' _Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of_- _**mmph**_" the bartender tries to continue through her laughter before the rest of her diatribe is muffled out by her girlfriend's lips on her own.

It doesn't take long for Alex to flip their positions so that she is on top, her fingers dancing lightly on the skin just under the hem of the other girl's top. For her part, Marissa has her left hand tangled in the blonde's hair, the other hand on her shoulder to keep her pulled close. Despite their most carnal senses insisting that the only thing they really need right now is each other, the tightening in their chests insists that the need for oxygen rates a little higher on their bodies' list of priorities. They break for air.

For a brief moment, the only sound that can be heard is the sound of their heavy breathing. Alex simply stares at her girlfriend below her, her fingers unconsciously drawing up and down the other girl's abdomen. Marissa trails her right hand down from the blonde's shoulder and down the upper arm before coming to rest on her forearm.

"Alex?" Marissa manages to whisper, her tone signifying something of a desperate plea.

"Are you sure?" The bartender hesitantly inquires, easily understanding the question being asked by her girlfriend's eyes.

"Yes," is the breathy answer. Marissa brings Alex's lips back down to her own to remove any doubt of her sincerity that may remain.

The next time they break their kiss, it's only to remove Alex's shirt.

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**The Next Morning**

Alex groans as the shrill cry of an alarm clock rings out against the peaceful quiet of the room. She shifts so that she can reach over and beat the offending object into submission. Her objective is hindered by the weight laying across her body. Looking down, a smile graces her face at the sight of her naked girlfriend strewn over her body.

After a moment of the alarm going off, Marissa moans at the sound as she attempts to bury her face in the other girl's shoulder to drown it out. The shift is just enough that Alex is able to stretch enough to turn it off.

"'Riss," Alex prompts in a soothing tone as she reaches up to lightly nudge the brunette awake. "Time to get up for school," she throws in when there is no response.

"Let's skip," Marissa grumbles, perfectly comfortable where she is.

"Do you really want your mother to come in here to wake you up only to find us naked in your bed?" She queries, her same calm tone never changing.

"No," Marissa sighs before lifting up her head and looking her girlfriend in the eye. "Hi," she finally greets the blonde after a moment.

"Hi," Alex repeats, a lazy smile spreading across her face.

"We should get dressed," Marissa astutely observes, making no move to do so.

"Yeah," the blonde agrees, not bothering to move herself.

"Marissa, Sweetie, are you up?!" Julie calls from outside of the room, her hand on the doorknob in case she has to go in and wake up her daughter.

"Yeah Mom!" The girl in question replies, groaning at the interruption.

"Just checking. I'll see you downstairs," the other woman says before her footsteps can be heard making their way down the hall.

Placing a quick kiss on the blonde's lips, Marissa rolls off of her girlfriend before sliding out of the bed. Alex simply watches the taller girl move around the room, perfectly content to blatantly watch her.

"You know, as much as I would enjoy showing up to school with my hot, naked girlfriend, I really don't want to have to share you with the rest of the student body," Marissa states, not-so-subtly suggesting that she gets dressed as well.

"I just have to get my clothes from yesterday back on. I'll have to run by my apartment to get changed before class," Alex explains.

"You can borrow some of my clothes," Marissa offers as she pulls on her jeans.

The blonde pointedly glares into the other girl's closet. "I think not," she replies in reference to the abundance of pink she spots in there.

"Fine, fine. I'll just get a ride from Summer," the other girl rolls her eyes dramatically as the blonde stands up and begins gathering up her clothes that were scattered haphazardly across the room the previous night. Twenty minutes later they are downstairs and entering the kitchen.

"Hey," Marissa greets her mother awkwardly with Alex in tow.

Julie grins brightly. "Good morning Mar…" she trails off as she spots the blonde with a purple streak in her hair. "Oh, I didn't know you had a friend over last night," is the surprised statement. "I'm Julie Cooper-Nichol," she introduces herself to the other girl.

"Alex," the bartender replies, not seeing the point in offering up her entire name like the other woman did.

A look of realization crosses the older woman's face at the name. "Ah, so you're the feisty young lady that Marissa won't stop talking about," at this, the dark-haired girl blushes slightly. "Well, I was just making bagels. I figure that if the Cohen's can do it, why can't we?" She questions rhetorically, going on as if nothing ever happened.

"Uh, none for me thanks. I don't eat breakfast," Alex replies nervously, she shares a sidelong glance with her girlfriend.

"How very 'punk' of you," Julie says, trying to be supportive of whoever her daughter is friends with, ignoring her daughter's glare. "I used to like the punk in my day," she recalls nostalgically.

"_**Mom**_," Marissa whines in embarrassment, much to Alex's amusement.

"Oh, you're right Marissa. It still _**is **_my day. I was just being modest," Julie chuckles, earning a smile from Alex, much to the younger brunette's chagrin.

The older woman turns at the sound of the bagel popping up in the toaster. "We'll be keeping kosher in no time," Julie further comments.

As Alex is distracted by Julie's attempt at small talk, Marissa takes the opportunity to throw a grape at the blonde. Alex turns and shares a conspiratorial look with the taller girl before pushing Marissa against the counter and attacking her lips with her own as Julie blathers on about the weird weather. Out of the corner of her eye, Marissa notices her mom about to turn around, she gently pushes Alex away.

Julie turns to see the faint smiles on the two girls. She is somewhat confused when she notices her daughter trying not to laugh about something.

"Yeah, I think I have to go, but it was very nice to meet you," Alex politely says.

"Oh," Julie frowns, a small look of disappointment crossing her face. "Rock on," she offers in an attempt to be cool as she raises her fist in the air.

Alex smirks before leaving, her eyes quickly darting over to make contact with her girlfriend's before she leaves.

"Well, she seems nice," the older woman states as the younger Cooper walks over to the refrigerator.

"Uh huh," Marissa chuckles vaguely.

"And you know that I have no problem if you want a friend to stay over, just let me know beforehand," Julie continues on as if Marissa didn't grunt out a response a moment ago.

"Oh, you didn't get the memo?" Is the sarcastic response.

Julie simply rolls her eyes. "You know Marissa, I don't think it's too much to ask to know what's going on underneath my roof is all," she reasonably points out.

"Oh, you wanna know what's going on with me?" The brunette asks with an arched eyebrow. Julie nods slightly. "I'm going to tell you the truth. No screaming. No crying. Just…the truth," she leads in.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me," Julie smiles with relief.

_Yeah, you have 'no idea'._ Marissa smirks. "Hold that thought…Alex is my girlfriend," she announces, holding her breath as she waits for a response.

"I know, and I'm so happy that you've made a new friend, although I hope you keep seeing Summer-" the clueless older woman begins.

"No, mom. Not my friend who's a girl. She's my _**girl**_friend," Marissa emphasizes and Julie's jaw goes slack. "Yeah…" she trails off, hoping that her mom gets it this time.

"Oh…okay," Julie replies after taking a moment to let it sink in.

"'Okay'? Is that it?" Is the incredulous response.

"That's it. I can see why you like her. She's a very attractive young lady and once the novelty wears off, you'll get over this little phase. I'm sure that this is all just to piss me off and, well…it doesn't. So…'okay'," she explains herself calmly.

Marissa sighs at her mother's belittling of her relationship. "What if it isn't a phase? What if I really am in love with her?" She challenges.

"Oh Marissa, don't be silly," Julie chuckles before turning her attention back to her bagel.

"Ugh!" The younger of the two groans before turning on her heel and walking to the other room to wait for Summer to pick her up. She can't help but think that she should have expected this reaction from her mom.

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This is how I explain Alex spending the night at Marissa's in my _OC_-verse. They never discussed how they ended up there. Also, I just loved the part of the episode where they made out behind Julie's back so I had to include it. By the way, this isn't the last we've seen of Julie. Not by a long shot. I have big plans for her.

Sorry about lack of a sex scene. After _**Madison Woke Up Gay **_(_South of Nowhere_), I didn't want to write one again.

Chapter Two of _**Taking Risks and Tempting Fate**_ (_House, MD_) is now up. It will probably be a little longer than three days before I update them again. I might update again before Monday, but it's unlikely.

You know, it's weird writing Alex now. I've gotten so used to writing Olivia Wilde as Thirteen from _House_ that I feel like I've been making Alex too serious. Maybe I'm imagining things. Anyways, tell me what you think about that and if you liked the "coming out" part or not.


	22. Plotting

**A/N**: As always, I just want to thank those of you that reviewed. Also, thanks to those of you who are still even reading this story, even if you don't review.

**A/N2**: Some more aspects from _The Rainy Day Women_, but nothing relating much to Marissa and Alex's interactions.

**A/N3**: I know I said that I probably wouldn't update before Monday, but after finishing chapter 21, this one kind of wrote itself. Maybe I should spend more time going to class rather than skipping it to write…

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_Marissa sighs at her mother's belittling of her relationship. "What if it isn't a phase? What if I really am in love with her?" She challenges._

"_Oh Marissa, don't be silly," Julie chuckles before turning her attention back to her bagel._

"_Ugh!" The younger of the two groans before turning on her heel and walking to the other room to wait for Summer to pick her up. She can't help but think that she should have expected this reaction from her mom._

**Chapter Twenty-Two - Plotting**

Alex is standing at her locker with two of her friends. She opens her locker to grab out her notebook so that she can have something to doodle in during English.

"So, Lex, why are you here so early this morning? Usually it takes an act of god to get you here less than 30 minutes late," one of the guys observes as he watches his friend dig through her messy locker.

"Don't be a dick, Josh. Her girlfriend is just a good influence on her is all," the girl standing beside him speaks up.

"Ah, that's right. Marissa Cooper," Josh smiles, lost in thought. His smile turns into a frown. "I hope you know that I lost a bet because you two lasted more than three days," he grumbles after the realization sets in.

Alex doesn't hesitate to punch him in the shoulder…hard. "You bet on my love life?!" She growls out in indignation.

"I'm usually right when it comes to you. Remember that blonde from Freddy McNamara's party in August that you hooked up with?" He questions, earning a reluctant nod. "I totally called that. Jeff, Tracy, and Kevin shad to cough up 20 bucks each," he grins in self-satisfaction.

"You bet against me, Trace?" Alex turns against her other friend, almost hurt that the other girl didn't have any confidence in her abilities.

"Hey, you're mad at him, remember?" The other girl defends herself. "Besides, no matter how bizarre a pairing you and Marissa make, I can see how it works between you guys," she smiles at the blonde.

"Yeah, she's pretty great, huh?" Alex questions rhetorically as she smiles at the thought of the brunette.

"Aw. Our little Alex is growing up and falling in love," Josh jokes as he slings an arm around Tracy's shoulder. She promptly pushes it off in disgust.

"Love?" The bar manager asks in alarm. She doesn't recall mentioning anything about being in love with the other girl to any of her friends.

"Please, Kelly. It must be love because you ditch whoever you're into as soon as you guys 'hook up'…which usually takes no longer than a day. You guys are still together and we all know that you, of all people, don't do relationships," Tracy comments.

"What's _**that **_supposed to mean?" The blonde challenges.

"That you like the freedom of being with whoever you want to be with whenever you want to be with them," Josh shrugs, understanding what his other friend was trying to convey.

"Uh, hello. Does no one remember Jodie?" Alex scoffs.

"Jodie doesn't count because, when you were together, you both were wasted or high most of the time and neither of you was monogamous," Tracy points out bluntly.

"But we still-"

"You were friends with benefits and now you're just friends. Friends don't count with the type of relationship we're referring to," Tracy is quick to interrupt, knowing exactly what the other girl was going to say. "Usually you ditch people once you get them into bed. That's why you still being with Marissa so…Oh my god!" She blurts out as she comes to a harsh 'realization' about the other girl.

"What?" Josh inquires, curious about his friend's outburst.

Alex furrows her brows in confusion. "You guys totally haven't done it yet, have you?" The slightly shorter girl asks in a quiet tone.

Josh takes his blonde friend's silence as confirmation. "Well, that explains it. That is so weird because I totally heard that that Marissa girl totally-"

"Do you _**really **_want to finish that sentence…or _**any **_sentence, ever again?" Alex asks him threateningly, her blood boiling at the fact that one of her friend's was almost about to insinuate that her girlfriend is a slut. She didn't correct them because, frankly, it's none of their business…not this time.

"No," he eeks out.

"You're an idiot," Tracy also informs him with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, come on. I was just…" Josh trails off as he looks down the hall. The other two girls follow his gaze only to see Marissa making her way towards them.

"Hey 'Riss," Alex greets her girlfriend, frowning when she sees the expression the other girl is wearing. "Something wrong?" She wonders.

"Uh oh. Let's go," Tracy grumbles as she senses a fight brewing. She makes sure to grab Josh by the collar and drag him along with her.

"It's my mom," Marissa huffs once the others have left them alone.

"What did she do?" The blonde asks in confusion. Everything seemed, well, kosher, when she left the other girl's house 30 minutes ago.

"I told her. You know, about us," the taller girl elaborates, frustration clear on her face.

"Judging by the petulant look on your face, I'm going to guess that she didn't take it well," Alex ventures.

"First of all, I do not look _**petulant**_. Secondly, she brushed it off like it was nothing. She didn't even care," Marissa snaps out.

The slightly shorter girl takes in her girlfriend's demeanor before narrowing her eyes/ "Why'd you tell her?" She questions suspiciously.

"What do you mean 'why did I tell her'?" Marissa counters in confusion.

"I thought it was a fairly straightforward question," Alex points out snarkily. The other girl continues to look perplexed. "Did you tell her just to piss her off or…" she trails off for the brunette to fill in the blank with, hopefully, something better than parental revenge.

"_**Oh**_," Marissa chuckles as the meaning dawns on her. "I didn't tell her to piss her off," she shakes her head, noting the relief etched across the blonde's face. "After, like, months of me talking about you, this was the first time she met you. Mom wanted to be more involved with my life and, well, you're part of my life," she shrugs, her expression somewhat bashful at the admission.

Alex grins at the other girl. "So, I fail to see how Julie being okay with us can make you so upset," she then continues on the path of their conversation as she closes her locker and wraps an arm around her girlfriend's waist before they begin to make their way to English.

"She's only okay with it because she thinks it's a phase and the idea of me actually being in love with you is completely absurd," Marissa sighs as they enter the classroom.

"Well, I guess we'll have to prove her wrong then, huh?" Alex smiles sweetly before glaring at the girl seated at the desk next to Marissa's. The girl slinks out of the chair, which she happily occupied before Marissa and Alex started dating.

"You know, sometimes I think your people skills leave a lot to be desired," Marissa smirks as her girlfriend takes the newly vacated desk by force of intimidation. Alex shrugs mischievously.

"What are we talking about?" Summer questions the couple as she drops into the seat in front of Marissa.

"The Queen of the Damned," Alex informs her with an earnest expression.

"I'm guessing she told you about Julie 'Just a Phase' Cooper-Nichol, huh?" The small brunette asks rhetorically.

"At least she didn't kick you out," Alex points out.

"Had you been Jodie, she might have considered it," Marissa chuckles, shaking her head at the thought of dating the Latina.

"What's the matter with Jodie?" Alex wonders, unsure if she should be offended for her best friend's sake or not.

"Aside from the obvious?" Summer snorts in response.

"Hey!" The blonde snipes.

"Would you rather me date Jodie than you?" Marissa challenges her girlfriend.

Alex seems to ponder this a moment. "Jodie who?" She grins playfully.

"That's what I thought," Marissa smiles smugly in self-satisfaction.

Before the trio's banter can go any further, the door to the classroom is thrown shut as Mr. Bowen enters the room. "Kelly, I'm impressed. You've shown up to class on time two whole days in a row," he notes upon seeing the blonde, who sinks down in her chair and bites her tongue so as not to say anything to get her kicked out of class…again. "I suppose I have you to thank for this turnaround Ms. Cooper," he nods towards the brunette.

"Please don't," Marissa says as she blushes and tries to avoid the amused looks of her classmates.

"Very well. So, let's review for your test tomorrow, shall we?" He questions, not expecting an answer…aside from the round of groans throughout the classroom.

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**Kirsten's Office**

Julie and Kirsten, having raided Caleb's liquor cabinet and gotten into his cigars, are simply sitting around and enjoying each other's company…at least as much as one _**can **_enjoy Julie's company.

Noticing the other woman's low level of alcohol in her glass, Julie reaches for a bottle. "More scotch?" She questions the blonde woman.

"Sure, why not?" Kirsten shrugs as she holds out the glass.

The dark-haired woman glances outside and sighs at the rain. "Nothing like a rainy day to reflect on what a mess you life is, huh?" She asks rhetorically before seeing the odd look on Kirsten's face. "Not yours, per se. More like the universal 'you'," she corrects herself, gesturing vaguely.

"I don't know. My life is a pretty big mess right now…possibly even bigger than yours," Kirsten smirks self-deprecatingly.

"I don't think so, Honey, but go ahead," Julie challenges.

"My husband is currently harboring a fugitive…who used to be his ex-girlfriend," Kirsten says, sure that whatever Julie's drama-of-the-week is can't beat hers.

"Well, I'll see your fugitive former flame and raise you a lesbian daughter," Julie retorts before tossing back the rest of her scotch and reaching for the bottle.

"Marissa?" Kirsten asks in shock, earning a slight nod. "It's probably just a phase," she offers, trying to be of help but not sure if she's succeeding.

"It was for me," Julie snorts before noticing the other woman arching a skeptical eyebrow in her direction. "What? It was the '80s," she defends herself.

"I didn't say anything," Kirsten smirks before her expression turns somber once more. "So, she has a girlfriend?" She wonders hesitantly.

"Alex," Julie confirms thoughtfully.

"That name sounds familiar," Kirsten says before wracking her brain. "Is that the same girl that runs the Bait Shop down by the pier?" She questions is surprise.

"I think so. You know her?" Julie wonders as she catches up with the fact that the other woman knows who she was talking about.

"Seth just started working there a little over a week ago. Is she kind of punkish with blue eyes and blonde hair with a purple streak in it?"

"That's her," Julie sighs. _Great, she runs a bar too. I guess Marissa went all the way when it came to hooking herself a 'rebel'_.

"You met her then?" Kirsten wonders.

"Oh yeah," Julie scoffs as she starts to drink straight from the bottle. "Apparently she spent the night last night. I met her this morning…before Marissa had the courtesy of informing me that they were a couple. I don't even want to think about what they were doing last night," she shakes off the thoughts.

"Well, what's she like. Is she a total nightmare with piercings and tattoos and a horrible attitude? If Marissa was trying to piss you off, that's about what I'd expect," Kirsten goes on, glad to divert her attention away from her own issues for once.

"Actually, she was pleasant and, as far as I can tell, she had no tattoos or unsightly piercings," Julie recalls as she realizes the only thing she even has against her daughter's girlfriend is the fact that she's a girl. "She's also somewhat attractive too. At least if Marissa really does turn out to be a lesbian I know she'll have good taste," she muses.

"You think your daughter's girlfriend is attractive?" Kirsten smirks at the bizarreness of the other woman. "Are you sure that your 'lesbian phase' was really a phase?" She laughs at her own joke.

Julie snaps her head over towards the blonde at the suggestion before a light bulb flickers on above her head. "I think I know how to break them up," she grins evilly.

Kirsten looks horrified, knowing that whatever it is will not be pretty. "I don't think you should mess with this Jules. If your daughter's happy, that's all that should matter," she attempts to call off the bloodhound that is Julie Cooper-Nichol.

"Marissa's 17, she doesn't know what she wants," Julie brushes her off.

"How do you know that this isn't what she wants?" Kirsten challenges her. "Maybe this is something more than just a phase. Do you really want to break your daughter's heart by doing something stupid?"

"I like Alex, but I think she would be the one most likely to break Marissa's heart, not me," Julie responds.

Kirsten releases a heavy sigh, knowing that there is no way she's gong to be able to talk the other woman out of whatever it is she is plotting. "What are you going to do?"

"Well…" Julie trails off with a wicked grin before she launches into her plan.

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Oooh, what is going on in Julie's twisted little mind? And, this being Julie, she also has a contingency plan in case the first one falls through. Will she actually force a wedge between the two or will she be proven wrong about the depth of the couple's feelings?

So, I've decided to use a lot of stuff from actual episodes in this story. There wasn't any in this chapter. There were just some ideas I was thinking about and I figured that I could fit it in here. I am going to include an alternate version of the _Mallpisode_, with my own personal Malex twist…as if I would let Ryan come between them *scoff*. That will be within the next two chapters. This story may even end up extending past my projected 25 chapters.

Also, as usual, I added chapter 3 of _**Taking Risks and Tempting Fate**_, a chapter which I actually like (which is rare for me). I also added part 2 of _**Challenges**_. Both are under _House MD_. Once you read (and review?) this I highly recommend you check those stories out too. Then again, maybe I'm biased.


	23. Confusion

**A/N**: Takes place the day after the last chapter, Thursday.

**A/N2**: Fairly long chapter and, well, there will be a lot going down in it.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_Marissa's 17, she doesn't know what she wants," Julie brushes her off._

"_How do you know that this isn't what she wants?" Kirsten challenges her. "Maybe this is something more than just a phase. Do you really want to break your daughter's heart by doing something stupid?"_

"_I like Alex, but I think she would be the one most likely to break Marissa's heart, not me," Julie responds._

_Kirsten releases a heavy sigh, knowing that there is no way she's gong to be able to talk the other woman out of whatever it is she is plotting. "What are you going to do?"_

"_Well…" Julie trails off with a wicked grin before she launches into her plan. _

**Chapter Twenty-Three - Confusion**

**Cooper-Nichol House, 3:30 pm**

"You sure Julie won't be home anytime soon?" Alex questions breathlessly from underneath her girlfriend as they lie on the couch, making out.

"Positive. She's at some meeting with an editor or something," Marissa replies as she nips at the blonde's earlobe, eliciting a moan.

"It's just weird doing this here," the shorter girl continues, worried.

"Don't be so paranoid," the brunette sighs before she brings her lips back down on her girlfriend's. Alex, allowing herself to relax, slips her hands under the shirt of the girl hovering above her as she traces her fingers along the other girl's sides. Although she isn't used to being on the bottom, she certainly isn't going to complain.

"Marissa, have you seen your mother? I tried to call earlier but…" a deep masculine voice begins before trailing off as he enters the living room, glancing up from his task of sorting through the mail.

Startled, Marissa attempts to jump off of the blonde onto the other end of the couch once she realizes that Caleb just walked in on them. However, Alex's hands being comfortable under her top and their legs being tangled together only manages to result in Marissa falling to the floor and dragging Alex down with her. They land in a heap on ground.

"Caleb! I didn't hear you come in," the brunette tries to brush off as she is laying on her back looking up at her step dad with her girlfriend's hands on her waist, just under the hem of her shirt. Alex drops her head into the crook of the other girl's shoulder, stifling a laugh into the taller girl's neck.

"I…uh…I didn't know we had company," the older man trips over his words, not prepared to walk in on such an…encounter.

"Hi. I'm Alex. It's nice to meet you…kind of," Alex offers with a smirk as she manages to disentangle herself from the other girl and stand up.

"Alex?" Caleb repeats, turning the name over in his head for a moment before it clicks. "Julie mentioned that Marissa was seeing someone named Alex last night. I guess I assumed that you would be…uh…" he falters, not knowing how to put his words delicately.

"Taller?" The blonde questions earnestly. Marissa notices the mischievous glint in her girlfriend's eyes as she tries not to laugh.

"Well, perhaps…but I was thinking more like…I didn't think you would be a…girl," he admits bluntly.

"She must have left that part out," Alex nods sagely before looking down at herself. "I can see how it would escape her attention," she notes with a frown, pretending to be sincere.

"Funny. It's quite obvious to me," Caleb is quite to point out, not wanting the young woman to be down on herself.

"Me too," Marissa pipes up in amusement, unable to hold her tongue any longer.

"Well, that's good," Alex sighs in relief.

It is at this point that Caleb realizes that the young woman was teasing him. "She also never mentioned that you were funny," he adds, a slight upturn to his lips. It is always a little refreshing to find someone that wasn't intimidated by him or didn't resent him because he was their stepfather.

Alex smirks. "Mom is at that meeting with the editor," Marissa finally answers his question with a smile and a shake of her head. She always wonders how the blonde is so easily able to endear someone to her.

"That's right," Caleb nods, remembering his wife mentioning the meeting. He gives them a thoughtful stare. "Try not being right in the open next time. You never know when Julie is going to walk in the door," he advises slyly.

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**The Bait Shop, 1:30 am**

It being a slow night, Alex had shown a rare display of kindness towards Ryan and Jodie, who had been working tonight, she let them leave early. That had been an hour ago and the blonde is just finishing up her closing duties before she heads back to her apartment so she can catch some much needed shut-eye before school in the morning. Her plans are thrown completely out the window at the sound of the door to the main entrance upstairs opens and closes.

The club having officially closed for the night half an hour ago, Alex lets out an irritated sigh. She still has her back to the door as she finishes wiping down the counter. "We're closed," she informs the intruder irritably.

"I know," a distinctively feminine voice purrs as its owner approaches the bartender.

The blonde immediately stiffens at the familiar voice before slowly turning to face the other woman. "Julie. Hi. What are you doing here?" Alex questions uncomfortably.

"Now what kind of greeting is that for your girlfriend's mother?" Julie 'tssks' rhetorically, running her fingers idly along the edge of the bar.

"Oh, right. Sorry. It's just kind of weird to see you here. Marissa isn't here," Alex explains herself before informing the other woman about Marissa's whereabouts.

"I know that," the older woman chuckles softly before resting her elbows on the counter and allowing her chin to rest on her folded hands. "I came here to see you, actually," she adds thoughtfully.

"Oh?" Alex questions, mirroring the other woman's posture, their faces moderately close but not to the point of becoming to intrusive of the other's personal space. "What about?" She wonders, arching a perfectly sculpted brow in the process.

"You and Marissa," Julie honestly answers.

The bar manager heaves a sigh as she returns to a standing position. "Just so you know, if you're trying to break us up, it's not going to-"

"I don't want that. I know my daughter better than you do and, well, I know that it's only a matter of time before she loses interest," the slightly taller woman interrupts, pretending to be amused at the teen's presumptuousness, no matter how accurate said presumptions may be.

Alex scrutinizes the other woman carefully. "I don't believe that," she retorts forcefully, not wanting to buy into the brunette's voicing of her insecurities.

At this, Julie can't help but let a bark of laughter escape her lips. "As much as Marissa like to complain, she has a very nice life thanks to me and once the novelty wears off, she'll go running back to the boys," the older woman states matter-of-factly as she moves to join the blonde behind the bar.

"Why are you telling me this?" The suspicious girl questions, narrowing her eyes at the woman beginning to invade her personal space.

"Oh, Alex," Julie sighs dramatically as she places a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I'm not telling you this to be mean because you actually seem like a nice enough girl and I really like your pants," she continues, not afraid to show her superficiality in regards to clothes and appearances.

Alex furrows her brows at the non sequitur, glancing down at her jeans. Her attention is shifted by a hand gently cupping her jaw and forcing her gaze upwards to stare into the dark eyes of her girlfriend's mother.

"You're this week's yard guy," Julie explains, noticing the confusion clouding the younger girl's crystalline blue eyes. "You're her latest drama. Her latest weapon of torture to inflict against me," she elaborates regretfully.

"You don't know that," Alex shakes her head uncertainly, the movement causing Julie to drop her gentle hold of the blonde's chin.

"Yeah, Honey. I do," Julie confirms apologetically. She moves the hand dropped from her daughter's girlfriend's face to the 17 year old's upper arm before running it up her shoulder and coming to a stop on the shorter girl's neck.

"Since you're so sure, why are you even telling me all of this? Why not just let the relationship take it's course?" Alex inquires, allowing her eyes to flutter shut at the older woman's movements.

"Like I said Alex, I like you and, unlike my daughter, I'm not confused about what I want or who I am. I'm not afraid to feel the way I feel and I'm not the one setting you up to get hurt in the end," Julie softly informs the blonde.

The older woman's words force Alex to open her eyes and take the woman in. She knows how wrong it is to be thinking dirty thoughts about her girlfriend's mom, a woman widely regarded as being a sociopath. However, she can't help but feel slightly turned on by the other woman's body now pressing up so tightly against her own. It never even registered with her when she backed herself against the counter, allowing herself to get cornered.

"I think you should probably leave," Alex firmly says, her voice thick with something akin to arousal.

Julie merely smirks enigmatically. "Some other time then," she leaves the offer hanging before turning on her heel and exiting the same way she came in.

The bar manager releases a shaky breath as she runs her fingers through her hair.

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**Summer's House, An Hour Ago**

"So Coop, how are things with your yummy girlfriend?" Summer questions her best friend mischievously.

Marissa can't help but release a short laugh, the other brunette's girl-crush always good for creeping her out slightly and making her laugh. "Things are really good. Really, _**really **_good," she emphasizes the last part, wagging her eyebrows to further the implication.

"Oh, Girl. Did you really?" Summer nearly squeals in delight.

"Yeah, Tuesday night. We started out studying for our English exam and-"

"You finished by studying each other," the smaller girl finishes for her friend, amused by the blush creeping up the other girl's face.

"And then Caleb caught us making out on the couch after school," Marissa supplies with embarrassment, much to the other brunette's amusement.

"I bet he had a total shit fit," Summer giggles.

"He was surprisingly cool. It was so bizarre and…he seems to get along with Alex too…which is also bizarre," she continues her commentary of her afternoon.

"Sounds like," the small brunette snorts in agreement before a sudden thought dawns on her. "Oh, hey. I know you probably have, like, these totally edgy plans or whatever with Alex this weekend, but I was hoping that you could help me out at the mall. I'm going to pick up some stuff for a charity drive for a battered women's shelter," she explains hopefully.

"Totally. Is it going to be kind of early?" Marissa agrees before questioning the other brunette.

"Yeah. Early afternoon," Summer responds.

"Great. Would you mind if Alex tagged along to help too?" The lanky girl asks in hopes that her girlfriend will get the chance to bond with her best friend. She then begins to fret that maybe Summer will think that she is going to be totally pushed out of her life because of her new relationship.

"Of course. The more help I can get, the better," the brunette readily accepts the offer of more volunteers. Besides, she actually likes the punky bartender and classmate.

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I know Mr. Bowen is a total dick and, well, I have no reason for that. I just think that every school-centered show needs to have one asshole working there. I'd like to think that he is, like, _House_-lite. Since I've gotten used to writing _House _I kind of want to have him or a character like him in my stories. The thing with Bowen (who is also totally based on a former teacher of mine) is that he doesn't like Alex because she is one of the few students not intimidated by him and she's proven his assumptions of her wrong by being smart. He's just picking on her at this point. I may have Alex do something about it, but it isn't going to be in the foreseeable future.

Next chapter will be my alternate take on the _Mallpisode_. I just hated how the original episode went and I felt horrible for Alex all alone at the end.

Also, is it me or does Alex seem to be the kind of person that would be really hard not to like? Maybe I'm a little biased, but I think she would be able to charm anyone…even Ryan had she been so inclined during the run of the show.

One more thing, I know I said it wouldn't be until closer to Friday before this got posted, but it came out pretty fast (along with the draft of _**Taking Risks…**_'s chapter eight). Speaking of which, chapter five of _**Taking Risks…**_ is up now as well. Check it out and, as always, review to let me know what you think.


	24. Locked In

**A/N**: So, here it is,_ Mallpisode_ my way. Well, at least the first half of the episode. It's also a long chapter and no Ryan. Yay!

**A/N2**: I never meant it to look like I was intending to make Alex seem like she was seriously considering cheating on Marissa in the last chapter.

**A/N3**: This starts off after school on Friday.

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**Chapter Twenty-Four - Locked In**

Back in Alex's apartment, Alex and Marissa are laying on the couch watching television…well, kind of. The blonde is laying on her back with her girlfriend stretched out on top of her kissing and nipping gently along her jaw. Marissa releases a sigh at the other girl's behavior. Her girlfriend has seemed like she was on another planet all day.

"What's wrong?" Marissa comes right out and asks the shorter girl. She decided the best way to get to the bottom of the blonde's distraction would be to take a page out of Alex's book on how to relate to others…just ask bluntly.

This certainly gets the bartender's attention as she glances down at the other girl. Alex bites her lip and debates telling the brunette about her encounter the previous night. "Your mom came by the Bait Shop last night," she says simply.

Marissa groans at the mention of her mother. Julie certainly explains her girlfriend's behavior. "What did Satan say to you?" She questions, knowing that it will probably be pretty horrible if the older Cooper's track record is anything to go by.

Instead of answering right away, Alex reaches down and takes on of the other girl's hands, entwining their fingers. "This _**is **_real, isn't it? This isn't some revenge thing against your mom, right?" She wonders, not meeting the brunette's eyes.

Furrowing her brows, Marissa slowly pieces together the meaning of the question. "No. This is what I want for me. I don't care about what anyone else has to say about it," is her careful response. "Besides, I know that if anyone does have a problem, you'll kick their ass," she grins impishly.

Alex chuckles lightly before dropping a kiss on her girlfriend's forehead. "Damn right," she agrees.

"So, now that that's taken care of, you're coming with me and Summer to the mall tomorrow," Marissa informs the blonde.

"I am?" Alex questions, not having been made aware of this development.

"Yes. We're just dropping off clothes for a battered women's shelter for some charity drive," Marissa elaborates.

"I don't get a say in this, do I?" The bar manager wisely wonders.

"No, not really," the taller girl shakes her head with a smile on her face. The pair lay together in silence for several moments, turning their attention back to the old horror movie playing on the screen. "So, all my mom said was that I was using you to get back at her?" She asks quietly, hoping that maybe Julie only half-assed trying to break them up instead of going full throttle this time.

At the question, Alex hesitates, unsure of how the other girl would react. "No. That wasn't all," she reluctantly admits.

"Oh?" Marissa asks, her complete attention on the blonde.

"Julie kind of hit on me," Alex admits, furrowing her brow at the bizarre encounter she had with the older Cooper the night before.

"Ew. What'd she say?" Marissa's morbid sense of curiosity forces her to ask.

The blonde takes a few moments to run down the situation again in her head before responding. "She kind of got into my personal space and said that she liked me, and my pants…" this elicits a chuckle from the brunette. "Then, she kind of insinuated that she…_**wanted **_me," Alex struggles with using the word 'wanted', it feeling weird to describe the predatory expression on the older woman's face when she had been backed up against the bar.

"Nothing happened though, right?" Marissa wonders, the idea of her mom and her girlfriend together sending cold chills down her spine.

"Of course not, I'm with _**you**_, not her," the shorter girl is quick to point out.

"So, are you saying that if you weren't with me you would have considered it?" The brunette quirks an eyebrow at the bar manager laying beneath her on the couch. Alex doesn't say anything at first. "Oh my _**god**_! You totally think my mom's hot, don't you?!" She squeals, torn between amusement and mortification.

The question induces a rare blush from the blonde. "Julie really is kind of a MILF, but I don't want her…in any context," she honestly replies.

"Good answer," Marissa smirks before pausing for a moment to think. "Do you know how creepy it would be if my mom's girlfriend was in all of my classes?" She asks with a smile.

Alex groans at the question. "You are totally never going to let me live this down are you?"

"No…not really," Marissa grins before bringing her lips down to her girlfriend's.

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**The Next Morning, 11:30 am**

Marissa bounds down the stairs of her home and makes her way towards the kitchen. She pauses as she spots her mother reading the newspaper, deep in thought.

"Morning Mom," the younger of the two greets, not sure how to feel about her mom hitting on her girlfriend.

"Good morning, Marissa. No overnight guests this time?" Julie arches a questioning brow as she glances up and notices that her daughter is alone. She takes a sip of her coffee.

"No, not this time. Why? Were you hoping for another chance to hit on Alex?" Marissa questions casually as she reaches into the fruit bowl for an apple.

Julie promptly starts choking on her coffee. "What?!" She gasps, trying to sound appalled at the very idea.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. You didn't honestly think that she wouldn't tell me, did you?" She asks rhetorically.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," the older woman tries to deflect.

"Uh huh. I don't even know why you're so down on her. If she hadn't stayed over to help me _**study**_ the other night, then I probably would have failed our English test Thursday," Marissa shrugs nonchalantly, secretly proud of herself.

"Oh?" The interested socialite questions.

"I got a B-plus," Marissa smirks. "It would have been an A, but Alex the Smartass had to get a 100 and throw off the damned curve," she grumbles the last part more than a little bitterly.

"You're lying. I find it hard to believe that there is a brain hiding underneath that purple streak and attitude," Julie scoffs.

"Didn't stop you from hitting on her," the younger girl retorts before smirking mischievously.

Julie narrows her eyes at her daughter's expression. "What's that look for?"

"Nothing," Marissa sing-songs, deciding to tease her mother a little. "Alex just said that you are pretty hot…" she trails off, noticing the smug look on the older Cooper's face, "…for a woman in her late-forties," she finishes her sentence before grabbing her purse and making her way towards the door.

"I am _**not **_in my late-forties!" Julie shouts before the front door slams shut. "Damned teenagers," she growls to herself.

Outside Marissa gleefully skips over to Summer's convertible before plopping herself in the passenger's seat. "What are you so happy about? I don't see Alex so I know she didn't sleep over again," the shorter girl points out impishly.

Marissa merely smirks, deciding on whether or not to tell her best friend the circumstances resulting in her giddy attitude. "So yesterday Alex and I were on her couch and-"

"I _**so **_don't want to know!" Summer cuts her friend off, not wanting to know the details of the taller girl's sex life.

"_**Anyways**_," Marissa draws out, rolling her eyes. "Something had been bothering her all day yesterday and she told me that Thursday night at the Bait Shop my mom dropped by," she sets up the story with excitement.

"Don't tell me: She tried to break you guys up?" The shorter girl guesses, wondering how this results in a good mood.

"Yeah…by hitting on Alex," Marissa laughs. "I totally called Mom on it this morning. Before I left, I told her that Alex thought she was hot considering that she's in her late-forties," she informs her friend before bursting into another fit of laughter and is soon followed by Summer.

"Priceless. I can just see the look on Julie's face," Summer joins in. "Alex and Julie? As if," she snorts, trying to picture the other teen pining for Satan.

"Apparently, Alex thinks Mom is a MILF, so that kind of makes it funnier," the lighter brunette adds, her good humor finally starting to subside.

"Whoa! Alex really thinks Julie's hot? Aren't you worried that Alex will-"

"Do not finish that sentence," Marissa cuts the other girl off. "If Alex was at all interested in my mom, she wouldn't have even told me about what happened in the first place," she points out.

Summer seems to take this in before nodding in agreement. "I like Alex. Ever since you started spending time with her, you seem to be getting more and more rational," she muses.

"Are you saying that I was stupid before?" Marissa arches an eyebrow.

"I didn't say that. You did," the smaller girl replies, hiding a smirk.

The taller of the two glares before turning her attention outside in confusion. "Why are we waiting in Seth's driveway?" She wonders, noticing for the first time that they haven't been going anywhere.

"Seth is tagging along," Summer shrugs. "He better hurry his ass up if he wants to go. Otherwise he's going to be stuck hanging out with Ryan and Lindsay," she grumbles, checking the clock on her dashboard.

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**12:20 pm**

Alex is dozing on her couch as she waits for the other girls to pick her up. She doesn't understand why they insisted on picking her up when she could have just met them there. After a long night at the Bait Shop, she is even wondering why she didn't bother to call and cancel. _Because it'll give me more time to spend with Marissa_. She realizes with a smile. Just as she is about to drift off to sleep, there is a knock on the door.

The blonde stands up and goes to the door. She first checks to make sure it's not her landlord more out of habit than anything (she's paid up on rent after all). "It's about damn time," she sighs, opening the door as she sees her girlfriend standing before her.

"Sorry, but we were waiting for Seth. He's coming along to go to the arcade," Marissa explains apologetically as they make their way to the convertible.

"Look at you all dressed up to go to the mall," Summer notes as the two approach, noticing the tight, black CBGB t-shirt and short, tight denim skirt.

"You should totally wear more stuff like that to school," Seth leers from the backseat. Summer somehow manages to reach back and smack him. "Ow!"

"I figured that after we finished at the mall I would be able to head right to work," Alex shrugs.

"Last year Marissa and I always agreed that girls sit in the front and the boys in the back," Summer grins at the seating arrangements in her car.

"How is that going to work?" The confused blonde questions the bizarre shift in topics as well as how the three of them will fit in the front seat.

"Sorry Alex, that means that you're in back," the small brunette says regretfully.

"I'm not a boy," Alex is quick to mention as she gestures towards her 'lady parts'.

"But you're, like, Coop's boyfriend-"

"Girlfriend," Alex corrects.

"Whatever, for the sake of argument, let's just say-"

"I have seniority, so I have dibs on the front," Marissa cuts into their bickering.

Alex glares at a grinning Seth in the backseat. She makes sure to sit as far from the boy as possible. "I don't see why we can't take my car," she complains before getting in.

"Because I said so," Summer notes.

"Please. We can fold Seth up and put him the Jeep's trunk," Alex grins at the thought of putting him in her laughably small trunk.

"Hey!" The lanky boy blurts out, offended.

"No," Summer replies.

"Then why can't I drive?" The blonde continues to protest.

"It's my car," Summer snorts.

"Are you really such a control freak that you always need to drive?" Marissa butts in with a roll of her eyes.

"I just heard that Summer's driving isn't much better than yours," Alex shrugs.

At this, the short brunette reaches back and smacks her boyfriend again. "What the hell? Alex said it, not me," Seth whines at the assault.

"Because you're probably the one that told her that in the first place," Summer snaps.

"I'm just trying to preserve my well-being. I'm too pretty to die,' Alex continues on as if the other couple isn't bickering.

"I agree," Seth announces.

"Do you really want to be crippled before we get to the mall?" Summer growls to her boyfriend. He wisely shuts up.

The group travels for several minutes in blessed silence. Seth is nursing his wounded pride, Summer watching the road to prove her passengers wrong, Alex sulking, and Marissa smiling over the playful banter between her girlfriend and her friends.

"So Alex," Summer begins, a question rolling around in her head waiting to be voiced.

"Yeah," the bar manager draws out in curiosity.

"How's Julie?" She asks with a smirk.

Alex's eyes widen in horror as she shoots her gaze over to her girlfriend. "Marissa! I can't believe you told her," she groans incredulously. Seth is lost, but shrugs it off as being a girl thing and, therefore, not meant to be understood.

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**In the Mall**

"So, the stuff for the shelters are in those boxes and on these racks," one of the sales girls for the store points them out. She glances at something on one of the racks and sighs. "As if these women's lives weren't hard enough. Someone should get a restraining order against this coat. Don't forget, we close early today so don't take long," she babbles this out quickly before turning to leave.

The girl scrutinizes Alex's outfit. "What?" The blonde questions irritably with an arched eyebrow and the girl simply leaves.

"It looks like somebody missed the sensitivity training seminar," Seth snorts at the other girl's attitude.

"Yeah. She totally had a big bowl of Frosted Bitch Flakes for breakfast," Alex agrees.

Summer glares at the closed door where the girl disappeared from before getting back to the matter at hand. "But, you guys this is going to be so much fun. It's like we have a backstage pass...to the _**mall**_," she grins.

"'Backstage pass', that's so cute," Seth smiles at his girlfriend before pulling her in for a kiss.

The other two roll their eyes. "You want to make out now too?" Alex questions her own girlfriend with a sly smile.

Marissa laughs. "Maybe later," she replies. "I'll take pants and you get the sweaters," she then suggests.

"Sounds good," the other girl nods.

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**A Few Hours Later**

After goofing around and helping out, Alex has long since lost track of the time. So, she takes a brief glance at her watch before jumping up off the floor. "I have to get going. I need to be at the Bait Shop in half an hour," she announces to the group as she stands up.

"Oh, that's right," Marissa remembers as she checks her own watch to find that it is almost 4:30.

Alex goes over to the door and turns the knob. The door doesn't open. She bumps her hip against it a couple of times to no avail. This gets everyone's attention and she turns to the group.

"You guys, I think we're locked in," the blonde informs them regretfully.

"That clueless sales skank probably did it on purpose," Summer grouses.

"We'll just call someone," Marissa attempts to keep a level head as she reaches for her cell.

"Help!" Summer shouts at the door.

Alex sighs and shakes her head at the shorter girl. "On the phone," she explains tiredly. "Except there is no phone," she corrects herself as she looks around.

"And no cell signal," Seth helpfully adds. "Oh, I have an idea," he grins before pulling out a bobby pin from his pocket. "Have at," he offers it to Alex.

"Why do you even have one of those on you?" The bartender questions, unsure if she wants to know. It doesn't matter because they ignore her anyways. "And why do you assume that I know how to pick a lot?" She also questions, affronted at the accusation.

"I didn't," Seth hedges. "Fine. I'll give it a try," he offers before kneeling down in front of the door. He tries to pick the lock.

"Is it working?" Summer questions impatiently.

There's a clicking sound and Seth stands. "I thought I had it but, what happened was it broke instead," he admits, holding up the broken bobby pin.

"Great," Alex snorts as she goes to drop onto a pile of clothes.

"God. This is just like the episode of _The Valley_ where Jake goes to the bank to get his bar mitzvah money out and he and April end up getting stuck in the vault instead," Summer laments.

"Well, how'd _**they **_get out?" Marissa wonders, not familiar with the show.

"Didn't. They had to wait until the bank opened the next morning," Seth supplies.

"That's how April got pregnant," the small brunette continues in her mopey tone.

"Sweetie," Seth goes over to his girlfriend to comfort her.

Marissa and Alex turn to face one another. "Don't worry. I don't think I can get you pregnant," the blonde reassures the taller girl. At this, Marissa can't help but burst into laughter.

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No Ryan! The four people trapped are actually couples. Also, I kind of like how Summer automatically groups Alex as being one of the 'guys'. That probably won't stop any time soon.

Originally, I meant for Ryan to be there too, but having there be five people would have been too hard for some of the scenes (like hockey and sleeping arrangements). There would always be someone left out.

So, I know this is totally bizarre, but the whole thing between Alex and Julie in the last chapter was originally supposed to be more like it was in the show and be part of another separate story. It's really weird, but I actually considered writing an Alex/Julie story because, well, I think it would have been kind of believable considering how charged their scene from the _Mallpisode_ was. Hell, I still might if you guys think I should.

Now, don't you love me? I totally wrote this chapter in one day. See, reviewing really _**does**_ provide inspiration. I also decided to go ahead and update _**Taking Risks…**_ because I am really excited about the current story arc with that now too. Let me know…


	25. Sleep in the Mall

**A/N**: _Mallpisode_ part two (out of three parts). Hooray! And Ryan will not be appearing in this chapter. Trust me, it just wouldn't work in this story.

**A/N2**: What do you know? I got an update up by Friday after all.

**A/N3**: Also, we haven't seen the last of Julie Cooper. She's hard to get rid of once she sets her mind to something.

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**Chapter Twenty-Five - Sleep in the Mall**

"This is ridiculous. There's got to be a way out of here," Alex snorts as she looks around the room for anywhere else to go.

Summer sighs before glancing up and looking around. "You guys," she calls to get there attention.

"What's up?" Marissa questions her best friend.

"What about over there?" She suggests. Three pairs of eyes follow to see where she is pointing. An air vent.

Seth turns to Alex and smiles. "After you," he says, trying to usher the blonde in.

"Uh, why do I have to go?" The bartender challenges him as she folds her arms indignantly across her chest.

"Because between you and Marissa, you're the butch one," Seth points out.

Alex scowls at him and punches him in the arm. "Why does everyone keep insinuating that I'm the 'guy' in our relationship?" She growls at him.

"Because of that," Summer answers, referring to the blonde assaulting her boyfriend.

"Whatever," Alex grumbles.

"So, ladies first," Seth tries again, from a much safer distance this time.

"Okay," the bar manager agrees. "But you go first," she smirks.

"Hey!" The lanky boy whines. Summer and Marissa stifle their giggles.

"There's no way I'm going in first. You're just going to look up my skirt if I'm in front of you," she is quick to inform him.

This gets Summer's attention as she realizes that her boyfriend had an ulterior motive. "Pervert!" She cries out as she smacks him with her purse.

"God Seth!" Marissa offers at the same time as she whacks him on the back of the head.

"Ow, ow, ow! Fine, I'll go first," he agrees, being sorely outnumbered by women, he crawls into the air vent.

Alex prepares to follow him, but she turns to Marissa with a mischievous grin. "You, however, _**are **_allowed to look up my skirt," she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

"Just go," the taller girl chuckles, a blush creeping up her neck.

Summer just shakes her head at them as she watches Marissa watch Alex climb into the air vent. "And to think I called Cohen a pervert. I should've waited so I could use it you instead," she laughs at her friend's 'busted' expression.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was just watching her to make sure she got in okay," Marissa easily denies, despite her blush remaining intact.

"Uh huh. You weren't watching Alex, you were watching Alex's ass. I saw you," Summer accuses good-naturedly.

In the air vent, Alex is crawling behind Seth and grinding her teeth as he keeps talking away. "Hey Alex?" He asks the girl behind him.

"What?" She sighs in response, not particularly interested.

"Isn't this great?"

"Absolutely not," the blonde replies, but Seth patently ignores her.

"You and I finally get a chance to bond and do some guy stuff together. It's kind of like _The Goonies_ meets _Die Hard _by way of _Mission: Impossible_. I think there may even be a little bit of _National Treasure_ thrown in for good measure," he continues to blather on.

Alex rolls her eyes, long having given up on trying to convince Marissa's friends that she isn't 'one of the guys'. "Since we're up here, how about we play a game?" She slyly suggests to the curly-haired boy.

"Sounds great! I knew you'd come around eventually. What did you have in mind?" He questions cheerfully as he stops and turns to face her.

"It's called 'Shut Up or I'll Kill You and Leave Your Body Up Here to Rot'. Any questions?" She arches an eyebrow at the boy in front of her.

"Nope!" Seth eeks out before facing forward and continuing on his way. His next move sends him falling through the air duct. There is a thud and the sound of crashing glass.

Alex moves over to the edge of the hole and looks down to see the boy laying on his back staring up at her. "You okay?" She asks, almost feeling guilty for snapping at him. Almost.

"Uh, Alex. The good news it that I found a way out. The bad news is that it involves broken bones and broken glass," he groans before sitting up.

"Can you make it back to the supply room to unlock it?" She questions from above.

Seth glances back up to the blonde staring down at him. "You know Alex, with you looking down on me like that, you look like an angel," he smiles up at her.

"Whatever, I'll meet you back there," she rolls her eyes before turning around and going back the way she came.

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Back in the room Marissa and Summer are finishing up with the bags for the women's shelter. "I think this is the last of it," the taller girl sighs as she drops down another bag by the door.

"Thank god!" Summer breathes out.

"So, aside from the occasional aggravated assault, you and Seth seem happy," Marissa notes

"Yeah," the shorter girl grins reflectively. "I just, you know, I feel really connected to him. For better or for worse," she tries to explain herself.

"I can see that," Marissa smirks in response.

In the air vent, Alex finally makes her way back to the supply room, having heard most of the other two girls' conversation echoed back to her. However, just before she can announce her presence and join in with the talk, Summer asks a question that stops her in her tracks.

"Do you feel like that with Alex?" Said blonde pauses and glances over to her girlfriend, waiting with bated breath for the answer.

Marissa ponders this for a moment before a grin breaks through on her face. "Yeah. I think I really do. Things with Alex are, you know, different and more fun and, just…better than they ever were with any of my past boyfriends," she tells her friend with a wistful expression on her face. Alex smiles fondly down at her girlfriend.

"So, are you like totally into chicks now, or what?" Summer asks bluntly and the blonde in the vent tries her best not to laugh.

"I don't think I'm into 'chicks' as a whole. I think it's more of an 'Alex' thing than a 'chick' thing," the taller girl points out.

"Well, according to what you told me the other day, you were totally diggin' on both the 'chick' thing _**and **_the 'Alex' thing on Tuesday night," Summer chuckles.

Marissa playfully pushes her small friend. "Whatever. I mean, it's part of it…but there's so much more. Alex is a lot different than what I thought she would be like before we started dating," she smiles at the thought of her girlfriend, blissfully unaware of the presence of the blonde looking down on her from the air vent above her.

Before they can continue their conversation, the door opens to reveal Seth. "Hey," Summer greets him as she stands up.

"Hey guys. Where's…" Seth trails off as she looks for Alex. "Hey there, angel," he grins and waves at the blonde in the vent.

Marissa looks up and smiles at the sheepish expression on her girlfriend's face. "Hey there Stalker Girl," she chuckles, standing to help her girlfriend out of the air vent. "So, how much of that did you hear?" She quietly asks.

"Enough," Alex smirks back in response before leaning in to place a kiss on her girlfriend's lips.

Summer, who is already halfway out the door, turns back. "Okay, as you cute as you two may be together, we should get out of the closet," she interrupts.

Marissa and Alex break apart. The blonde smirks and opens her mouth. "We're already out of-"

"You know what I mean," Summer cuts her off as she realizes her verbal innuendo.

"You could have let them keep going. I wasn't-"

"Seth, do you ever know when to shut up?" Alex questions the boy as she walks out of the supply room followed by Marissa, who is holding her hand.

"Uh, no," the boy in question replies with furrowed brows.

"This is one of those times that you need to shut up," Marissa states, finishing her girlfriend's thoughts.

"Why is no one else here anyways?" Alex wonders aloud in frustration.

"Didn't you pay attention to the sales skank?" Summer sighs to the blonde.

"No, I must've been too busy staring at her ass," Alex snarks back in response. Marissa hits her à la Summer. "Hello, _**that **_was a joke," she snipes back at her girlfriend as she rubs her abused arm.

"It wasn't funny," Marissa mumbles petulantly in response as she crosses her arms across her chest.

"I'm sorry," the blonde apologizes as she pulls the taller girl into an embrace.

"_**Anyways**_," Summer butts in, wanting to be the center of attention once more. "The store is closed," she points out obviously.

"So, if you knew that the store closed early, why didn't you tell us earlier so that we wouldn't have gotten stuck?" Marissa asks from her position of being wrapped in Alex's arms.

"I lost track of time," the shorter brunette shrugs innocently.

"_**Yeah**_," Seth draws out, unconvinced. "Let's find a way out of here," he suggests after a minute.

"Good idea," Alex concurs as she goes to find another exit.

"Whoa!" Summer blurts out as she moves to block Seth and Alex's path. "We're not going anywhere," she informs them. Even Marissa is startled by her friend's vehemence.

"Clearly we aren't going anywhere because we're trapped…and you're standing in our way," Alex says, wanting the other girl to move so that they can get out of the mall so she can get to work.

"Yes…We're trapped in a department store which is, like, my _**ultimate fantasy**_," Summer squeals as she looks to Marissa for support.

"You're ultimate fantasy is to be trapped in a department store?" Alex questions skeptically.

"Uh, yeah," Summer replies obviously.

"Well, Seth, you got off easy. My last girlfriend's ultimate fantasy was-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Marissa warns menacingly.

"But Marissa…" Seth whines.

"Can we _**please **_focus here?" The small brunette in front of them asks.

"Okay, Summer, what if we get caught?" Alex challenges.

"We'll be totally stealth. Come on you guys what could be cooler? We go to sleep in the mall and wake up in the mall," Summer attempts and Marissa merely arches her eyebrows. "Come on, it's like being awake but still dreaming. The mall doesn't open until, what, 10:00 am? We'll be out before then," she continues, but Seth and Alex don't look convinced. "Then would could still get McMuffins."

"Okay, I'm in," Alex is sold by the promise of being fed first thing. She and Marissa turn their attention to Seth.

"Sure," the curly-haired boy shrugs. "We could all use a night to forget our troubles. And, by 'troubles', I mean Julie Cooper," he smirks.

"Oh my god! Really you guys?!" Alex barks out, already tired of being mocked for _**insinuating **_that she thought Marissa's mom was hot. They all ignore her outburst, naturally.

"Soooo, it's settled then?" Summer asks to make sure everyone is on the same page.

"What happens in the mall stays in the mall," Seth chuckles.

"Yay!" Marissa grins as she and Summer grab on to each other's shoulder and start jumping up and down in excitement.

"Well, crap," Alex grumbles, not knowing what she has in store for her.

"Alex, since you're new to our little group let me just warn you…it will never get any less insane. _**Never**_," Seth emphasizes as he and Alex watch their respective girlfriends grin like idiots at the prospect of spending the night in the mall.

Before Alex can reply, Marissa turns her attention to her and smiles warmly. "I'm okay with crazy," she responds to his earlier statement, a smile of her own crossing over her face.

"Women," Seth laments to himself.

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**7:30 pm**

It didn't take long for them to realize that there will be people looking for them. So, all of them are now over in the dressing rooms making their calls so they have a little bit of privacy.

Summer is on the phone with her step-mother. "Oh, sorry to wake you…It's 7:30 at night!…Can you just tell dad that I'm, uh, staying over at Marissa's?…Thanks," she hangs up.

Marissa calls Julie. "I told you that I had a paper due…Yes I did…Well, maybe you were too busy hitting on my girlfriend…No, I _**won't **_let it go…Yes, I really am at Summer's house…Whatever, bye," she hangs up and runs her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"Hey Ryan…Can you just tell them that I'm working late tonight and staying with you in the pool house…Cool. Thanks, Buddy," Seth grins as he hangs up.

"I know Jodie…It's not like you can _**plan **_to get trapped in a mall…Call Ryan in for help…Uncle Scott is still here and I'm sure he'll be happy to help…I'll make it up to you…See you tomorrow," Alex hangs up the phone before she exits her dressing room. The other three are just staring blankly at her. "What? It's call the truth," she shrugs at their looks.

"So, what do we do now?" Marissa questions, directing his attention to Summer since it was her idea to begin with.

The tiny brunette grins as she goes over to a rack with hockey masks. "I have an idea," she informs them as she puts one on.

"You're going to kill us all with a chainsaw?" Seth asks with a gulp.

"God Seth! Do you see any chainsaws?" Alex snaps at him. She pauses for a moment before turning back to the boy. "No, seriously, do you see any?" She questions as she subtly moves behind him. Marissa chuckles and shakes her head.

"No," Summer snorts as she pulls off the mask. "High score gets the bed in the _Ethan Allen _showroom and the low score gets the tent," she corrects them.

"There's more than one bed in the showroom," Alex points out.

"But Seth and I don't want to have to listen to you and Marissa have sex," Summer replies.

"Speak for yourself," Seth blurts out. Summer shoves him and he trips over his feet.

"You guys think you can handle it?" Summer taunts the other couple.

Alex glances at the fallen Seth before smirking at her girlfriend. "You're on," Marissa replies as she catches the blonde's mischievous look.

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So, seemed like as good a place as any to stop this chapter. Also, I used a lot of the same dialogue from the actual episode (as you may have noticed), but I had to add a lot and change names and all that crap. I especially had to change a lot when Summer and Marissa were talking about Alex while she was in the vent. It was better than them talking about Ryan (barf).

Judging by the lack of response, I'm guessing that that would be a 'no' for a Julie/Alex fic. I'm not surprised because that would be…weird, at best. No matter, let me know what you think with this Malex twist on the episode…Please.

Also, I added chapter seven of _**Taking Risks…**_ as well.


	26. The Getaway

**A/N**: The end of the _Mallpisode_. It's about time!

**A/N2**: Kind of short, but I still think it's pretty fun anyways.

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**Chapter Twenty-Six - The Getaway**

"I feel stupid," Alex grumbles as she looks down at herself dressed up in her hockey gear.

"Well, if it's any consolation, you look stupid too," Seth sensitively points out.

The blonde shoots him a glare before shoving him slightly. The boy, being on a pair of rollerblades, falters for a moment before he starts rolling backwards and his arms start wind milling so he can stay upright. He falls on his ass anyways.

"Really Seth, at this point what could a helmet possibly prevent from happening to you?" She wonders rhetorically.

"Let's do this!" Summer grins as she and Marissa appear. She frowns upon seeing her boyfriend on the floor. "Cohen, this is no time for a nap!" She barks at him before turning and rolling off.

Marissa arches a questioning eyebrow at her girlfriend. "I have no idea what happened. I just showed up and he was laid out on the floor…like a rug," Alex innocently explains herself before tapping the boy in the side with the tip of her rollerblade. "A squishy rug," she elaborates.

"Hey!" Seth whines from the floor as he gets poked. He reaches out and grabs the blonde girl's ankle.

"Gah!" Alex cries out as she loses her balance and topples over, landing on top of him.

"Oomph," Seth grunts at the impact. "Ow…hey!" He continues to protest as the bartender pushes herself off of him as painfully as possible.

"That's what you get," Alex sticks her tongue out at him as she rises and moves away from grabbing distance.

"You started it," Marissa points out with a smirk.

"Yeah, but-"

"Come on people!" Summer shouts from the makeshift court in the sporting goods section of the department store.

The roll out to join the small brunette and the game begins as she whacks the ball and sends it flying past Alex's head. "What the hell?" She questions nobody in particular as Marissa, already into the game, goes to retrieve it.

The taller brunette passes to her girlfriend, who sends it whizzing past Seth and the goal. "You missed," the boy in question smirks, referring to both the goal and his head.

"If you want I can try again," the blonde snarks back.

"I'd like to see you…Eek!" The lanky boy screeches as Alex comes rolling towards him. He seeks refuge from behind is tiny girlfriend.

"Cohen!" Summer protests as she tries to get him back into the game.

"She's off-sides!" Seth accuses the blonde.

"No she isn't," Marissa replies.

"Let's just do another face-off," Alex sighs as she goes back to the center of the court, her girlfriend in tow. Marissa and Seth are facing off against each other, both being the tallest member of their respective couple.

"One…" Summer begins the countdown and Seth raises his stick. "Two…" she continues. "Three!" She finishes as he turns to block Marissa from the ball.

"Seth, stop cheating!" Alex cries out as she approaches.

In a panic, Seth raises his sticks and swings at the ball. He misses on the way out, but, as he brings the stick back down, he hits it. Too bad it's going in the wrong direction. He scores a goal for Marissa and Alex.

"Never mind," Alex sing-songs as she high-fives Marissa.

"God Cohen," Summer huffs as she brushes past him to face off against Alex. "No fair. You're taller," she grumbles at the blonde.

"If you want us to be fair, you can always go against Seth since he seems like the best player on our team," Marissa smirks.

Seth, not bothering to count the first numbers, shouts, "Three!"

"What are you doing?" Alex grouses, distracted enough that Summer gets the ball and smacks it down the court…and it bounces off the side of the other team's goal.

Four pairs of eyes watch as the ball soars over their heads and down to the first floor. After sharing a brief look, Marissa and Summer charge after it, both almost falling face first down the escalator. They come to a screeching halt as they approach the beauty counter.

"Oh my god," Summer breathes out reverently. "It's the new body shimmer," she says, lifting off her mask.

"Mmm, shimmery," Marissa grins as she lifts her mask off as well.

Upstairs, Alex and Seth ride up to the railing and look down at other two girls. "Hey, enough of the sports stuff," Seth says, hoping to be done with this humiliation.

Summer and Marissa look up at them and Alex furrows her brow, trying to determine what they're looking at. "Hey, is that the new body shimmer?" She questions the duo.

"Yes," Summer replies.

"Do they have it in Purple Berry?" Alex asks.

"Purple Berry?" Seth scoffs at the question.

"Duh, to go with the streak in her hair," Marissa rolls her eyes at the boy's ignorance.

"Geez Cohen, don't you know anything?" Summer snarks as Marissa finds the color that Alex wants.

"Whatever. Let's get some food," Seth sighs as he turns to find nourishment.

"God, Coop. You are so lucky you have a girlfriend. Guys just don't get it," Summer laments, earning a sympathetic look from the taller girl as they ride the escalator back upstairs.

"Here you go Princess," Marissa smirks at Alex as she hands over the purple body shimmer.

"Yay!" Alex grins, not even bothering to snap at her about using that particular nickname around other people. She then heads off to find food as well.

"She can be such a girly-girl," Summer and Marissa giggle as they head off in the direction of their significant others.

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"You know, this camping thing isn't so bad," Marissa muses aloud as she sits with her legs stretched out in front of her and reclining back on one arm as she chews on a cookie.

Alex smirks at her girlfriend as she look around. They are seated in front of a tent, surrounded by plastic trees and sitting around a lantern. "We sure are roughing it," is the gently sarcastic response.

"You know what I mean," the brunette smiles, nudging the shorter girl in the leg with her foot.

"Yeah, I know," the bar manager fondly replies.

"Come sit by me," Marissa urges the blonde, tugging lightly on her shirt to prompt her to come closer.

"Are you cold? I could always throw another log on the fire," Alex teases as she pretends to grab a plastic log to set by the lantern.

"Don't be a smartass," the other girl chuckles. Alex slides over to Marissa and places an arm over her shoulder. They snuggle in close together. "This is nice. You, me, all alone…in the wilderness," she smiles as she rests her head on her girlfriend's shoulder. She feels the reverberation of the other girl's gentle laughter.

"I'm glad I came with you guys tonight. I would really have hated to miss out on all of this," Alex sincerely informs the brunette, who tries to stifle a yawn. "Tired?" She questions.

"Exhausted," Marissa corrects.

"You can go on inside the tent and try to get to sleep. I can sit out here for a while. Keep a lookout for bears and mall security," Alex grins.

Marissa cranes her neck into the tent to look at the sleeping bag. "It looks big enough for two," she informs the blonde mischievously.

The shorter girl arches an eyebrow. "Let's try it," she gamely replies, knowing what the other girl is thinking.

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"I'll go tell them," Seth says to his girlfriend as they approach the tent.

"Uh, no, you won't," Summer snaps as they get closer and she can hear the tell-tale breathing patterns of a couple making out. "Knock, knock," she says from outside of the tent flap.

"Yeah," Marissa breathes out moments before Summer's head pops in.

"We need to get out of here…like now," the small brunette firmly tells them before pulling her head out of the tent. There is some rustling around as Marissa and Alex reorient themselves and stumble out of the tent.

"What's wrong?" Alex questions a moment later.

"Mall cops," Seth succinctly responds. "Let's blow this pop stand."

Before any of them can make their exit, Summer looks over and spots some mannequins and she pulls out season one of _The Valley_, which she was intending to buy. "I have an idea," she announces with a brilliant grin. "Let's set the dummies up and make it look like they're us," she says.

"It'll throw them off our trail," Marissa catches on, getting to work.

"Like a red herring," Alex smirks, amazed that the other girl finally managed to come up with a decent scheme.

"No. It's like something to divert their attention away from us," Seth rolls his eyes at the blonde, unaware that they mean the same thing. Alex simply rolls her eyes, knowing that arguing wouldn't be worth it.

Several minutes later, the four teens are sneaking out one of the back doors. They make a dash to Summer's car.

"I'm driving this time," Alex states firmly.

"Go for it," Summer urges, tossing the blonde the keys as the group pile into the vehicle and Alex peels out.

"That was _**awesome**_!" Seth declares gleefully from the backseat.

"Totally," Summer agrees from next to her boyfriend.

"Hey, anyone else hungry?" Marissa questions from the front seat.

"I'm thinking cheeseburgers," Alex voices her opinion.

"And chili fries," Marissa adds on.

"Perfect," Summer pipes up.

"Let's go," Seth concurs with the rest of the group.

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At some diner off the freeway, Alex and Marissa watch in amusement as Seth and Summer bicker about condiments. They share a soft smile across the table.

"I like us better this way rather than when we were fighting all the time," Marissa informs her girlfriend, referring to their epic arguments from no more than three weeks ago.

"Me too," Alex wholeheartedly concurs.

"A lot has happened," the brunette understates as she brings another fry to her mouth.

They eat in silence for several moments. "You surprise me sometimes and it makes me realize that, in a lot of ways, we're still kind of like strangers," the blond muses.

"I know what you mean," Marissa nods in agreement, knowing that they are still in that 'discovery' stage of their relationship. "So…Who are you?" She asks jokingly.

Alex smirks as she steals one of her girlfriend's fries. "I'm whoever you want me to be," she chuckles.

"Hmmm. I think I like you just the way you are," the brunette sincerely states, earning a beaming grin from the other girl. They lean in across the table for a kiss.

"Aw, look Seth. Our little Coop is growing up so fast," Summer butts into the conversation with a mocking tearfully proud expression.

The moment ruined, the couple just roll their eyes good-naturedly.

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So, I'm guessing that Julie/Alex is a resounding 'no'. I get it. It would have been more of a tongue-in-cheek kind of deal anyways. Besides, I kind of got it out of my system just by adding it on here.

I know you are all amazed by my super updating skills, but this is mostly due to the fact that the _**one**_ person that has a position above me at the bar is making me work today and tomorrow…Superbowl Sunday. I swear that I am not going to leave my office. There is no way I'll be able to bartend (I am still on crutches). That's enough of a rant.

Another thing, I know you are waiting for me to lay on the drama again. It's coming, don't worry ;)

Also, I added chapter eight of _**Taking Risks…**_ as well.


	27. I Have A Proposal

**A/N**: _Blaze of Glory_. This time, Ryan and Lindsay are still together (she never left, duh). Takes place in Fall instead of Spring.

**A/N2**: This is on a Wednesday, a week and a half after the end of the last chapter. And, yay, another long chapter.

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven - I Have A Proposal**

"I'm telling you Ryan, you missed out on some good times. Just the hockey game alone would have been worth your while," Seth goes on about last week's mall adventure as they walk up to Harbor High.

"It sounds like Lindsay and I would have been the couple version of a third wheel," Ryan shrugs. "Besides, she and I had a good time on our own," he smiles slightly at how the date ended…in the pool house.

Seth merely nods in acceptance. "All hotness aside, Alex is actually pretty cool once you get to know her," he informs his best friend, his attention drifting over towards the parking lot as a familiar dark blue Jeep pulls up. "And Marissa seems happy," he adds.

Ryan watches Alex and Marissa exit the Jeep. "She deserves it," is the blonde boy's input.

The two girls casually link their hands together as they make their way towards the guys. "Morning," the brunette greets them with a smile. Alex and Ryan politely nod at one another as a greeting.

"You're awfully chipper," Seth points out. "Planning this whole bonfire thing must really get you pumped, huh?" He guesses as to the reason of her good mood as he indicates the '_**Bonfire Pep Rally!**_' banner in front of the school.

Alex groans and rolls her eyes. "Oh god. Do _**not **_get her started on the bonfire," she pleads, sick of having to hear about it for the last four days in a row.

"Ugh! It's been so stressful. I can't even find someone to _**design**_ the bonfire," Marissa complains, oblivious to her girlfriend standing next to her mockingly mimicking her as she says all of this.

Seth and Ryan attempt to hide their amusement and, without even having to look, Marissa reaches over and hits the blonde girl in the arm. "The hell? What did I do?" Alex questions innocently. The other girl shoots her a look. "Fine, sorry," she mumbles her apology.

"Thank you," the taller of the two grins triumphantly.

"Whipped!" Seth coughs into his hand. Both girls punch him in one of his arms. "Hey!" He cries out.

"What did you do this time Cohen?" Summer questions, approaching them from behind. Through experience, she is fully aware that _**everything **_is her boyfriend's fault. She doesn't bother waiting for an answer. "Coop! Aren't you excited about this bonfire?!" She grins at her best friend.

"She's stressed and can't find someone to design it," Alex gives the _Cliff's Notes _version before her girlfriend can go off and turn it into a tragic melodrama. Marissa rolls her eyes.

"Anyways, you guys are all coming, right?" The tall brunette questions the other three.

"I don't know. It's a pep rally," Ryan grimaces at the thought of having to go.

"A _**bonfire **_pep rally," Seth corrects the other boy.

"We'll totally be there," Summer answers for the three of them.

"Great," Marissa beams before grabbing her girlfriend's wrist and bringing it up so that she can check the blonde's watch. Alex, used to this by now, doesn't even roll her eyes as she smiles at the brunette's inability to simply ask what time it is.

"We have to go. Alex and I have to stop at my locker before class," Marissa informs her friends as she interlaces her fingers with those of her girlfriend before gently tugging the blonde along behind her.

The other three watch as the couple disappear into the crowd before turning back to one another. "Poor Alex is so whipped," Summer muses before hitting Seth with her purse.

"What was that for?" The curly-haired boy questions with a whine.

"Why can't you be more like Alex?" She accuses him vaguely.

Seth scrunches his brow in confusion. "You want me to bleach my hair?" He wonders, thinking that that is what she meant.

"Ugh! Boys," the small brunette laments to herself. "Never mind," she sighs before going off to meet up with the other couple in English.

The taller boy shakes it off, it being business as usual with the his temperamental girlfriend. "You and Lindsay should definitely come to the bonfire. That way we can get to know her better and she can get a chance to meet Alex."

"I don't know. That whole thing isn't really her scene," a skeptical Ryan demurs.

"Please?" The taller boy begs pitifully.

"Fine. I'll ask her," he relents as the pair finally head off to their first class of the day.

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**Lunch**

Marissa drops down into her seat at her and her friends' usual table. Her mood obviously not good.

"What's wrong Coop? Where's Alex?" Summer asks her best friend, hoping the two aren't involved in another stupid argument.

"She's with her friends," Marissa scoffs irritably.

"We _**are **_her friends," Seth points out obliviously.

"Her other friends," the taller brunette snaps back at him as she gestures over to the other side of the quad where Alex is joking around with Josh and Tracy [mentioned in chapter 22] as well as several other people that Marissa doesn't recognize.

"Wow. I totally forgot that she had real friends," Summer says with amazement.

"We aren't real friends?" Seth frowns at the other girl's announcement.

"You're comparing apples and oranges," Ryan contributes, earning three pairs of eyes trained on him. "They're Alex's friends because of Alex. We're her friends because of Marissa," he explains himself, feeling awkward. "I'm just going to go help Lindsay with some research in the library," he excuses himself. The others watch him go in confused silence.

"Whatever. This just means that Alex isn't as whipped as we all thought she was. So, ha!" Seth declares triumphantly to his girlfriend.

"Alex is allowed to have friends that aren't in Marissa's immediate circle," Summer tries not to snap, clenching her fist in an effort to keep herself from reaching over and smacking him.

"You don't let me have friends outside of _**your **_circle," the tall boy whines.

"You have your Comic Book Club and, outside of them and us, you irritate the hell out of everyone else," Summer bluntly informs him.

"Whatever," he grumbles.

Marissa frowns. "Summer, are you comparing how Seth is as a boyfriend to how Alex is as a girlfriend?" She questions in confusion.

"I think I know how to fix your bonfire problem," Seth immediately changes the subject.

"Is that so?" Marissa smirks at him.

"Who do we know that worked in an actual construction job, enjoys architecture, and likes burning stuff down?" Seth arches an eyebrow at the others in question.

"Ryan?" Summer guesses immediately before shooting her best friend a sidelong glance.

"Do you think he'd say yes?" Marissa asks, not wanting to work with him so much as get this bonfire thing behind her.

"We can totally talk him into it," Seth is almost positive.

"He's been kind of mope-y lately. I think he's been feeling kind of left out of the group ever since you, you know, started dating Alex," Summer offers up.

Although she is secretly glad for the noticeable absence of her ex-boyfriend, Marissa is unwilling to admit that in front of said ex-boyfriend's best friend. However, she is spared from contributing further as her cell phone goes off. She rolls her eyes before answering.

"Hello Mom," Marissa sighs.

"_Where have you been? I've been calling all morning," _Julie snaps.

"School. You know, the place kids go to escape their parents' evil clutches?" Is the rhetorical question.

"_You just left out of here in such a hurry that I wasn't sure," _Julie replies calmly.

"Uh huh," an unimpressed Marissa replies. "Alex picked me up. We didn't want to be late for class," she explains herself unnecessarily in hopes to appease her mother.

"_Alex. Of course," _the older woman scoffs. _"Is she so uncivilized that she can't even come inside to greet her girlfriend's mother?" _She asks haughtily.

"Well, Mom, she probably would come in if you hadn't freaked her out in the Bait Shop two weeks ago by hitting on her," Marissa snarks back to the other woman. Seth and Summer stifle giggles.

From across the courtyard, Alex glances over at her girlfriend, who is talking on her cell. She notices the distressed look on the brunette's face and frowns. Running her fingers through her hair, she releases a sigh and turns towards her friends, knowing that she has to go over there and see what's wrong.

"Hey guys, look, I'm sorry but I have to go," the blonde offers up as an apology.

"Whatever Al. We barely ever see you anymore and now you're ditching us for your girlfriend again," one of the guys scoffs.

"You know it isn't like that," the purple-streaked teen argues.

The other guys runs his fingers through his short hair. "Yeah. We're all still on for Friday night at the beach though, right?" He questions her and she offers him another contrite look. "You're blowing us off Friday too?!" Is the incredulous response.

"No, Paul. I'll be there…I'll just be a little late. Marissa is organizing that pep rally thing and I told her-"

"Pep rallies are gay," Paul snorts irritably, earning himself a glare from Alex and the others. "Please, Alex is bisexual. That doesn't even count," he defends himself

"Anyways, I'll meet you guys over there after the bonfire and it'll all work out fine," Alex responds. "I'll see you later," she waves before turning and heading over to her distressed girlfriend.

Marissa doesn't even notice as the blonde steps up beside her until Alex sets a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezes. "Are you okay?" Alex questions softly as soon as her girlfriend looks up.

"The Devil that wears Prada just called," Summer answers for her friend.

"Shouldn't you be over there with your friends?" Marissa scoffs as the bartender takes the seat next to her.

"No. I'm exactly where I want to be," Alex corrects her, but Marissa is unmoved. In an effort to get back on the brunette's good side, she decides to just bite the bullet and show an interest. "How's the bonfire search going?" She asks.

At this, Marissa actually takes pause. She doesn't particularly want the blonde to know that she may be working on designing a bonfire with her ex-boyfriend. So, Marissa subtly shakes her head at Summer. However, before Summer has a chance to keep Seth from saying anything stupid, he opens his mouth.

"She's going to try and get Ryan to help," the tall boy blurts out with an oblivious smile. "Ow, what?" He grunts as Summer punches him in the arm.

"Ryan's going to help design the bonfire?" Alex asks for clarification, unsure as to why the short blonde guy would be considered.

"Yeah. He's into architecture and he's worked on construction and stuff," Seth goes on, earning another smack from his girlfriend. "Why?" He whines.

"I think it's a good idea," Alex simply shrugs, a little confused as to why Summer is insisting on assaulting the comic book geek. She just figures that it must be some kinky facet of their relationship.

"You do?!" Marissa and Summer blurt out at the same time.

"Why wouldn't I? If it helps Marissa out and keeps her from stressing out and biting my head off for no reason, then I'm all for it," the bartender explains herself easily.

"But he's Marissa's ex," Seth needlessly provokes.

"So what? I don't see Marissa foaming at the mouth every time I talk to one of my exes. If she doesn't freak out, why should I?" She casually replies as she reaches over and steals a fry off her girlfriend's tray.

"Excuse you," Marissa smirks as she bats the other girl's hand away a moment too late.

Alex merely sticks out her tongue in response before turning back to the conversation. "Besides, if he tries anything, well, let's just say I know people that can have him taken care of," she gravely informs the group.

Marissa, for her part, watches the look on the blonde's face and notices the slightly quirked eyebrow. She breaks into a wide grin. "Whatever," she chuckles, bumping the other girl's shoulder with her own.

"I think she's serious Coop," Summer attempts to quiet her friend.

"No she isn't. She totally arches her eyebrow when she's screwing around," Marissa argues back with a smile.

"I'll do it," Alex confirms her earlier declaration, doing an admirable job of keeping herself from grinning.

"See!" Marissa points to the eyebrow in question. Alex rolls her eyes and steals another fry with a smile. "Why can't you get your own food?" She whines.

"It's not like you're eating them," the blonde retorts.

"That's because I am trying to be a good girlfriend and give you my undivided attention while you are talking," the tall brunette defends herself.

"Well, let this be a lesson to you then: if you don't eat your fries, then I'll eat them for you," Alex states mischievously.

Summer simply smiles over at the pair, glad that the blonde was able to come over and pull her friend out of the funk she was in at the beginning of lunch. Seth is just glad that his girlfriend isn't hitting him and Alex is distracted enough that she isn't picking on him.

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**After School, 3:30 pm**

Marissa and Alex exit their last class of the day. "I need to go over to the gym so I can catch Ryan and see if he can help with the bonfire," the brunette turns to her girlfriend.

"Do you want me to come with?" Alex wonders as she idly takes the other girl's hand in her own.

"No, no. It's fine and Summer said that she would give me a ride home," Marissa brushes her off.

"You sure?" The blonde skeptically asks.

"Yes, I know you have to head over to the Bait Shop to get some work done anyways. I'd hate to hold you up," Marissa answers sincerely.

"Okay…Are you and Summer still stopping by later?" Alex then questions, knowing the brunette and her friend were planning on hanging out there tonight.

"Wouldn't miss it," Marissa replies with a broad smile.

"Good. See you tonight," Alex replies as she leans over and drops a light kiss on the brunette's lips.

"Okay," the other girl agrees, slightly squeezing her girlfriend's hand before letting go. After taking a moment to watch the blonde disappear into the crowd, Marissa turns and navigates her way through the halls towards the exit to the boy's locker room. She isn't disappointed as, less than a minute later, Ryan exits carrying his book bag.

"Marissa. Hi," the startled blonde boy greets her.

"Hi Ryan," Marissa repeats his initial greeting.

"What brings you down here? I would have thought that you and Alex would be on your way out the door," he points out uncomfortably.

"I just wanted to ask you a quick question before I left," Marissa leads in. "Seth and I were talking after you left during lunch and, well, I was wondering if _**you **_could help me design the bonfire?" She asks him quickly.

"I don't know," Ryan hedges. "This could be kind of awkward…especially if Alex were to-"

"Alex is fine with it. She thinks it's a good idea," Marissa interrupts so she can help put him at ease.

"Thinks what's a good idea?" A familiar voice asks from behind Marissa.

"Hey Lindsay," Marissa greets the blonde girl with a small smile.

"Hi. What are you too talking about?" Lindsay wonders. Having spotted the pair taling from down the hall, she decided that she would intervene.

"I'm trying to talk Ryan here into helping me design the bonfire for Friday," the brunette explains.

"Oh," Lindsay breathes out in relief. Even the knowledge that her boyfriend's ex is now dating another girl isn't always enough reassurance that he's over the brunette.

"What do you think?" Ryan questions his girlfriend, torn between wanting to help and wanting to avoid feeling awkward around the other girl.

"Since it sounds like Alex is fine with it, so it's okay with me," Lindsay reluctantly agrees, not wanting to be a total buzz kill.

"Then I guess I'll do it," Ryan relents with a slight smile.

"Great! When are you free?" Marissa beams.

Ryan and Lindsay share a look. "Now," he answers.

"Did you want to work on it at my house or yours?"

"What about Alex? Don't you two have any plans for tonight?" He furrows his brows at the thought of the blonde.

"No, she has work. Summer and I are going down to the Bait Shop a little later," Marissa corrects his assumption.

"Then we can do it at mine. I don't want to run into your mother," the sandy-haired boy frowns.

"Good thinking. Did you want to come along too Lindsay? The more the merrier," Marissa offers the other girl.

"I can't…I have to finish a paper from History," she demurs.

"Okay," Marissa frowns before turning back to Ryan. "Let's go find Summer then and get to it," she says before heading off to the parking lot, Ryan in tow.

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**The Bait Shop, An Hour Later**

Alex is hard at work restocking the bar with the radio playing in the background. She is so absorbed in humming along to The Beatles' _Across the Universe_ and stocking the bar that she fails to hear the side door open and close. In fact, she only becomes aware of someone else being in the club when she feels a pair of hands reach around and cover her eyes.

A small smile crosses Alex's face. "I thought you weren't going to be here until later tonight," she says, not sounding the least bit upset about her girlfriend being here early. A short chuckle is enough to cause the smile to fall from the blonde's face as she pulls away from the woman behind her and turns around. "What are _**you **_doing here?" She asks irritably.

"I can't just stop by to say hello to my daughter's girlfriend?" Julie questions innocently.

"You specifically? No," Alex snarks back, walking around the side of the bar to put at least that between the two of them. "And I'm still not interested," she is sure to add.

"I figured as much," Julie scoffs. "Trust me, after Marissa told me that you thought I was in my late forties, I lost interest in you as well," she growls, still somewhat offended.

Alex furrows her brow. "I never said I thought…" she trails off, not sure why she was about to correct the other woman's assumption. "Why are you here?" She instead asks.

"I have a proposal that not even you can turn down," Julie grins wickedly.

The blonde frowns, curious despite herself. "Okay," she draws out with trepidation.

"I'm sure you don't want to work in a bar for the rest of your life," Julie leads in and Alex simply arches an eyebrow in response. "I'm willing to help…you just have to leave Marissa and, preferably, Newport all together," she continues.

The bar manager scoffs at the suggestion. "Dream on. I'm not going anywhere," she snaps at the other woman. "There's nothing you can do to change that," she pointedly informs her.

"Not even if I wrote you a check for 50 thousand dollars?" Julie arches an eyebrow with a malicious smirk. Alex's eyebrows shoot up into her own hairline at the offer.

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So, I told you Julie would be back and…is anyone else having flashbacks of DJ? She must be desperate if she's resorting to bribing Alex to leave.

Hmm, and what about the bonfire? How will that play out…especially if Alex's friends are getting irritated with her blowing them off for Marissa?

Also, I added chapter nine of _**Taking Risks…**_ as well.


	28. Girl's Night Out

**A/N**: _Blaze of Glory_ still and some elements of _The Ex-Factor_.

**A/N2**: I didn't particularly like Evil-Jealous-Alex from the show…but I did make Marissa mildly jealous in this chapter…but not violently so. And, is it just me, or did the violent Alex from the show seem written out of character? Maybe it was an attempt to make us not like her or something. Whatever.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_I'm sure you don't want to work in a bar for the rest of your life," Julie leads in and Alex simply arches an eyebrow in response. "I'm willing to help…you just have to leave Marissa and, preferably, Newport all together," she continues._

_The bar manager scoffs at the suggestion. "Dream on. I'm not going anywhere," she snaps at the other woman. "There's nothing you can do to change that," she pointedly informs her._

"_Not even if I wrote you a check for 50 thousand dollars?" Julie arches an eyebrow with a malicious smirk. Alex's eyebrows shoot up into her own hairline at the offer._

**Chapter Twenty-Eight - Girl's Night Out**

"Marissa's last boyfriend only cost me 10 grand, but she actually seems to like you," Julie continues, taking the blonde's silence as a good sign…until she starts laughing. "I think 50 thousand is a more than generous offer," she snorts at the display.

"I figured that someone with your reputation would have bothered to do her homework," Alex finally manages to get out.

"What is _**that **_supposed to mean?" Is the indignant reply.

"It means that, if I wanted to, I could walk out the door right now and go back and live in a mansion bigger than yours and have an available line of credit that is also bigger than yours," the bar manager explains, clearly amused.

"I don't believe you," the skeptical woman replies, folding her arms across her chest.

"My father is Steven Kelly, the CEO of Kelly Enterprises," the blonde arches an eyebrow.

Julie takes a moment to study the teen to try and determine if she is being honest. "This isn't over," she promises with narrowed eyes before turning on her heel and exiting the same way she came in.

Alex smirks at the older Cooper woman's retreat as she leans against the bar and shakes her head. She pulls out her cell phone and dials. It's picks up on the second ring.

"_Hey Baby,"_ Marissa greets the blonde.

"You'll never guess who just popped in for another visit," is the grinned challenge.

"_Please tell me that it wasn't my mom again," _Marissa whines.

"She tried to offer me 50 thousand dollars to skip town," Alex rolls her eyes at Julie's desperate behavior.

"_She did what?!" _Marissa barks into the phone, forcing Alex to pull it away from her ear in an effort to preserve her hearing.

"Yeah. I told that if I wanted money, I would just move back in with my parents," Alex responds easily.

"_What did she say?" _The brunette cautiously questions.

"She practically shit a brick before telling me this wasn't over and leaving," the bartender rolls her eyes. "So, how's the bonfire planning going?" She changes the subject.

"_It's going," _Marissa sighs as she flops onto the couch in the Cohen's living room. _"So far we haven't come up with any winners. Ryan and Seth are in the other room ordering pizza and I'm here…all alone…thinking about you," _she sighs melodramatically.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something. You always do," Alex encourages as she begins to wipe down the counters.

"_Thanks," _Marissa smiles into the phone. _"Even if we do come up with something tonight, we'll only have tomorrow and Friday to get it built," _she sighs as she picks up Seth's toy horse, Captain Oats.

"Well, let me let you get back to business. I love you," the blonde adds the last part hesitantly.

"_I love you too," _Marissa grins. _"I'll be by with Summer later…a girl's night out kind of thing_," she chuckles.

"See you tonight 'Rissa," Alex shakes her head with an amused expression before hanging up.

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"Did I hear something about a girl's night out?" Seth questions the brunette as he and Ryan reenter the living room.

"Yes and, even though you meet the criteria, you're not invited," Marissa shoots back at the curly-haired boy with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Ouch," Seth gasps as he places his hands over his heart. "You have been spending way too much time with Alex," he accuses her.

"No such thing," the other girl cheekily replies.

"It's just going to be you and Summer?" Ryan questions.

"And _**technically **_Alex, but she's going to be working so she doesn't really count," Marissa replies.

"Why don't you invite Lindsay?" Ryan suggests.

"I don't think she likes me very much. Every time I try to include her, she just blows me off. But if you can get her to come, that'd be fine with me and I'm sure Summer won't mind," is the sincere response. The blonde boy nods with a half smile.

"Why are you molesting Captain Oats?" Seth asks Marissa, indicating the toy in her hand.

Marissa furrows her brow before looking down. "Oh! What do you guys think of using a Trojan Horse as the model for the bonfire?" She questions them, the inspiration having struck her while she was on the phone with her girlfriend.

"Sounds good," Ryan nods agreeably.

"You aren't going to burn him, are you?" Seth squeaks out as he snatches the horse away from the brunette, who arches an eyebrow in response.

"We can use him as a scale model so we can figure out how much wood to use," Marissa slowly replies, prying the horse from the lanky boy's hands before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Ryan wonders as she tosses the toy back over to him.

"I did the hard part by coming up with the concept. Now, I have to go back home to get ready to go out with Summer…and you have to call Lindsay to see if she wants to come too," she directs the last part towards the blonde boy.

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**Bait Shop, 8:30 pm**

"Lex, why the fuck are we so busy on a Wednesday?" Jodie growls at her friend standing beside her at the bar.

"It isn't that bad," Alex rolls her eyes at her friend. She is willing to concede that it is relatively busy for the middle of the week, but she has no explanation. "It's just a fluke. Probably kids excited for the bonfire/pep rally on Friday. Trying to get their alcohol tolerance down in time to keep from puking on the beach," she smirks.

"A bonfire what?" Jodie snorts out as she pours another rum and coke for one of the scattered members of the over-21 crowd.

"Pep rally," Alex repeats herself with a sigh, finally able to take a break and look at the other woman.

"Ew," the small brunette crinkles up her nose in distaste. "I know I said you were getting lame before, but this time you have totally crossed over. I thought you didn't _**do **_pep rallies anymore, not since that fiasco during your Freshman year," she attempts to remind her friend.

"Okay, you and I both know that the mascot never would have caught on fire if it wasn't for you," Alex turns the accusation around on the brunette.

"You were the one that threw the joint in the mascot's headpiece before that guy put it on."

"I wouldn't even have been smoking if you hadn't shown up and offered. Might I remind you that the only reason it ended up in the headpiece was because you told me that the principal was coming," Alex dutifully defends herself.

"That was pretty funny," Jodie grins.

Alex simply rolls her eyes before shoving the older woman to the other side of the bar. "Get your skanky ass back to work," she chuckles.

Nearly twenty minutes pass with the pair working quietly beside one another. This is broken as Jodie takes a moment to nudge the blonde to get her attention. "Look who just walked in looking all hot in your '_**Mischief' **_t-shirt," the Latina smirks.

"I was wondering what happened to it," Alex muses as she watches Marissa, Summer, and…some other girl all walk in together. As the trio pass by, Marissa turns to her girlfriend behind the bar with a short wave and a smile that is easily returned.

"Don't make me gag," Jodie interrupts Alex's thoughts.

"Whatever," the blonde grumbles before going back to work.

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Marissa, Summer, and Lindsay all manage to slide into an empty and secluded booth. "Kind of busy here tonight Coop," Summer says over the sound of the music.

The taller brunette is otherwise occupied as she watches Alex work behind the bar. Her girlfriend is wearing a light blue sleeveless t-shirt and a dark denim skirt with a black studded belt. The skirt hands just low enough that Marissa is able to catch glimpses of the blonde's stomach every time she moves or turns. She takes in the smoky makeup around Alex's eyes, accentuating her crystalline blue eyes and-

"Coop, stop drooling over your girlfriend and pay attention!" Summer barks, finally managing to pull the taller brunette out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, what were we talking about?" Marissa questions, a blush coloring her face at the face that she was caught.

"This is Lindsay's first girl's night out and she doesn't know what happens now that we're here," the shorter brunette catches her friend up.

"Oh," Marissa replies simply.

"I know!" Summer gleefully jumps in, waiting for the attention of the other two girls before continuing. "We can walk by the bar and see if anyone checks us out." she supplies.

"Hello, no boys tonight. That's the _**whole point **_of a girl's night out," Marissa rolls her eyes at her best friend.

"Well, that's no fair because it so excludes you because you aren't dating a boy and…even if we are counting Alex, then why are we at her club?" Summer points out logically.

"You're dating Alex Kelly?" Lindsay finally contributes to the conversation.

"Yeah," Marissa smiles, happy to be saved from having to answer the smaller brunette's question.

"Whatever. Let's talk about our _**significant others **_then," Summer pointedly uses the most gender neutral term she can come up with, a pointed glare directed towards Marissa. "Who wants to start?"

Lindsay quickly cuts Marissa off before she can even start. "You know, I am starting to rethink this whole sobriety thing," she says to the taller brunette.

Marissa smirks at Summer as she produces a flask from her purse. "Seriously Marissa? I thought you quit," the smaller girl tries to intervene.

"This has been sitting, untouched, in my bottom drawer for almost five months. It's less than half full," she rolls her eyes before taking a short drink from it and passing it to Lindsay.

The shy blonde is skeptical for a moment. "Cheers," she weakly says before taking a small sip of her own…and promptly coughing.

"Oh…um. Maybe some water…with lots of ice would help," Marissa suggests as she glances over at her best friend. "I'll be right back," she says, making a break for the bar.

"You okay? Burns a little, huh?" Summer tries to comfort the coughing blonde as she rubs her back.

As Marissa approaches the bar, she notices a slutty blonde leaning against the bar and chatting up her girlfriend. The slutty girl reaches out an casually touches Alex's arm and the bartender does nothing to remove the hand. She scowls as she pushes her way to the counter.

"Hey 'Riss," Alex beams at the sight of the taller girl. "Everything okay?" She wonders upon seeing the dark look on her girlfriend's face.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Marissa asks immediately.

The blonde shoots a questioning glance towards Jodie, who offers a slight nod. "Sure, let's go to my office," she offers, gently guiding them both towards the office.

"What was that?" The brunette asks once the door is shut behind them.

"What was what?" A very confused Alex attempts to follow the line of questioning.

"You and that skank out there at the bar. She was all over you and you didn't do anything to stop it," Marissa blurts out.

Alex sighs. "It was harmless flirting. It means nothing. You know it and I know it," she slowly states.

"Do I now?" Marissa challenges, folding her arms across her chest.

"Of course you know it's harmless because you do the same thing to customers when you're working."

"And you don't get jealous?" The taller of the two scoffs.

"I do get jealous…but I know it's meaningless. I also know that I love you and the last thing I want to do is upset you, so, I'll try and tone it down," Alex offers sweetly as she takes the other girl's hands in her own.

"That would be nice," Marissa smirks, feeling a little stupid for overreacting like she did.

"Alright. Let me get back to the bar before Jodie has a coronary," the blonde smiles as she approaches the door.

Before the blonde can make it two steps, Marissa wraps her arms around her girlfriend's neck and kisses her briefly on the cheek. "I love you too," she says before Alex opens the door, allowing Marissa to exit the office first. Alex flashes a quick smile before heading back over to the bar.

Marissa, for her part, watches the blonde make her way back to the bar. She scowls as she watches the drunken bar slut greet Alex. Her girlfriend smiles at her politely before going over to Jodie and whispering something in her ear.

"What are you looking at?" Summer questions her friend as the taller girl distractedly drops into her previous seat. When no answer is forthcoming, Summer follows the other girl's gaze towards the bar. She rolls her eyes.

Marissa sees Jodie and Alex switch sides at the bar so that the obnoxious Latina is stuck with the slutty girl. Then, Alex turns right towards her and winks as if she knows that Marissa has been watching her. The girl in question blushes before redirecting her attention to the other two girls sitting with her.

"So, did I miss anything?" Marissa finally acknowledges them.

"Aside from the fact that I had to get a glass of water for Lindsay from Jodie because you were too busy having a quickie with Alex in her office? Then no, you didn't miss anything?" Summer sarcastically retorts.

"I'm sorry Linds," is the sincere apology.

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine," the blonde girl waves off the concern.

"Who's up for some dancing?" Marissa randomly questions them.

"I don't know…" Lindsay trails off uncertainly.

"It'll be fun," Summer gushes as she grabs the other girl's hands to pull her up.

Marissa takes a discrete swig of vodka from her flask before following the other two.

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**Two and a Half Hours Later**

The club finally having slowed down, Alex manages to find the time to approach the booth that she knows Marissa and her friends are at. She expects to find the three of them sitting around chatting away. However, she finds that Lindsay has left and Marissa is laying on her side with her head resting on Summer's lap.

"Hey," Alex greets the small brunette in confusion. "Where'd, um, whats-her-name go?" She wonders.

"Lindsay's boyfriend, Ryan, picked her up to take her home about twenty minutes ago," Summer responds.

The blonde nods absently. "Is she okay?" Is the concerned inquiry.

"She passed out," is the simple answer.

"Yeah, it seems like you guys all had a lot of fun. I can see why she's be so worn out," Alex attempts to empathize.

"No, she was drinking vodka from her handy-dandy flask and she just passed out before you came in," Summer elaborates.

"I see," the blonde frowns.

"I can't take her back to her house because Julie will kill her and find some way to blame you and, well, if my step-monster is awake, she'll call Julie," the shorter of the two explains herself.

The blonde allows her shoulders to sag. "I'll help you get her to my office. She can stay crashed out on the couch and I'll take her back to my apartment after I finish closing," she sighs, a smirk tugging at her lips, knowing that the younger woman is going to be in for one hell of a hangover in the morning.

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I can't wait to see what happens next…and I can totally say that because I haven't written it yet. You'll probably have to wait until at least Wednesday. I figured that I would give them minimal drama until the next chapter…especially considering how much of a hard time I'm giving Thirteen in _**Taking Risks**_. Oh, and no, I am not going to give Marissa a drinking problem in this story.

How about a little comedy relief? I got the funniest/_**dumbest **_review ever the other day: (from _**Zoey**_) "Marissa isn't gay, you're gay. Stop writing for this ship, it ain't ever gonna happen. Ryan and Marissa go way back."

Now, I was going to remove it or whatever, but it makes me laugh. It was an anonymous review, of course. However, on the off chance that Zoey comes back to this chapter, I have a message for her: *Ahem*…"Fuck you Zoey. I'll write what I want. Of course the relationship isn't going to happen- Marissa is dead and the show is canceled. Grow up." That is all.

Any _**real **_reviews, as always, are welcome. I don't mind if you don't like it, just tell me why instead of just calling me 'gay' (which I am so it isn't really an insult).

Also, I added chapter ten of _**Taking Risks**_.


	29. PreBonfire Drama

**A/N**:_ Blaze of Glory_ still. I'll be done with this episode next chapter. Not too much taken from the actual episode, but some of the (minor) stuff is mentioned.

**A/N2**: Yes, I know I said it would be up by Wednesday…but I was having a problem getting my pain medication. Needless to say, the last few days sucked without them. The good news is that, when I _**finally **_got a chance to write this chapter out, it only took, like, 2 hours. There is no real point to me having posted this on crappy-ass Valentine's Day. It's just a coincidence. Anyways, here it is…

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_I can't take her back to her house because Julie will kill her and find some way to blame you and, well, if my step-monster is awake, she'll call Julie," the shorter of the two explains herself._

_The blonde allows her shoulders to sag. "I'll help you get her to my office. She can stay crashed out on the couch and I'll take her back to my apartment after I finish closing," she sighs, a smirk tugging at her lips, knowing that the younger woman is going to be in for one hell of a hangover in the morning._

**Chapter Twenty-Nine - Pre-Bonfire Drama**

**The Next Morning, 6:05 am**

A lone shaft of light shines into the bedroom through the curtains and right into Marissa's closed eyes. With a groan, she turns her head away from the light and buries it into her pillow. _My warm, breathing pillow. _

At this final thought, the brunette cracks open a bloodshot eye to find herself draped over her girlfriend's body, the other girl's arms wrapped loosely around her. She casts her gaze up to meet the shining eyes of the blonde.

"Morning," Alex quietly whispers, mindful of the other girl's probable headache.

"Morning," Marissa croaks out, cringing at the sound of her own voice. "What happened?" She wonders, trying to recall the events that led to her waking up in the bartender's bed…fully clothed.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Alex questions with her brows furrowed.

The brunette closes her eyes for a moment as she wracks her brain. "Dancing with Summer and Lindsay…and I may have been drinking some alcohol," she answers, the last part added hesitantly.

"You passed out in the booth after getting up on the bar and trying to dance on it like you were at _Coyote Ugly_," the blonde says in a grave tone as she attempts to fill in the other girl's memory gaps.

Marissa clenches her eyes shut as she carefully drops her head back into the crook of Alex's shoulder. "Oh my god. I didn't," she laments, mumbling into the soft fabric of her girlfriend's t-shirt.

Feeling the barely contained shaking of the girl beneath her, Marissa lifts up her head to find Alex trying to hold in her laughter. "No, but it would have been pretty hot if you did," she corrects the lie she told the hung-over brunette.

"You are so mean," Marissa rasps with a smile on her face nonetheless.

"That's what you get for getting wasted while I'm working," Alex retorts with a smirk before she notices the other girl looking around the room. "What's wrong?" She questions.

"We've been going out for three weeks and this is the first time that I've seen your room," Marissa points out, noticing the band posters on the wall and clothes randomly scattered about.

"Well, when I'm not at work or school, you tend to drag me into _**your **_bedroom so you can have your way with me," Alex attempts to shrug, though the action is wasted as she remains pinned under the taller girl.

"Are you complaining?" Marissa mumbles as she settles back onto her girlfriend and closes her eyes.

"I just think that, maybe, you are a kinky bitch," the blonde smirks, eagerly awaiting the other girl's reaction.

As predicted, Marissa regrettably shoots her head up to look incredulously at the shorter of the two, trying to ignore the pain in her eyes and head. "Excuse me," she snaps.

"All I'm saying is that I have this perfectly fine apartment all to myself and yet, you seem to prefer being at your house where Caleb or Julie can walk in on us at any moment," Alex explains. "I am concerned that you may be a bit of an exhibitionist and-"

The rest of the blonde's sentence is cut off by a pillow whacking her in the face. "Less talk, more sleep," Marissa attempts to command as she drops her fluffy weapon to the floor and goes in for another try at going back to sleep.

"No can do, Babe. You have school," the blonde argues before sliding out from under her girlfriend.

"Don't wanna," the brunette mumbles into the pillow that replaced the shorter girl's body. She looks up suspiciously. "And you have school too, not just me," she throws in as she realizes the word choice of the blonde.

"Be that as it may, 'Miss Social Chair', I don't _**have **_to go because nobody expects anything of me. You, on the other hand, are in charge of tomorrow night's bonfire thingy," Alex waves off the responsibility of showing up as she stands up from the bed.

At this, Marissa rolls over onto her back and quirks an eyebrow at the bartender. "What if _**I **_expect you to go to school with me?" She challenges with a small smile.

"Good luck with that," the blonde snorts in amusement as she defiantly crosses her arms across her chest.

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**7:40 am**

A dark blue Jeep Wrangler pulls violently into an empty parking space in the school parking lot before coming to a screeching halt. Almost as soon as the engine is turned off, the driver's side door is flung open and a certain bar manager with a purple streak in her hair jumps out. She reaches into the backseat and snatches her bag from the floor.

On the passenger's side of the vehicle, a brunette casually opens her door and steps out, purse in hand. She lifts her sunglasses off of her eyes and gazes over towards the irritated driver with a smile, as if the blonde didn't just assault her beloved Jeep.

"Not a word," Alex growls as she watches the triumphant grin on her girlfriend's face. Marissa merely walks around to the other side of the car, takes her girlfriend's hand and links their fingers together before offering her a sweet smile. The blonde turns her head away and groans. "You're cheating," she whines, her annoyance from moments ago fully melted away by now.

"You like it," the brunette replies cheekily, squeezing the shorter girl's hand gently as they make their way towards the building.

Alex turns her head to the side to make a snide remark about the underhanded techniques the other girl employed to get her to agree to go to school with her. Namely, the 20 minute make-out/groping session before Marissa blue-balled her by pulling away and suggesting they take _**separate **_showers before leaving for school. The blonde had been so distracted by the sight of her girlfriend standing topless in front of her when she asked the question that she was only able to nod dumbly without knowing what she was agreeing to.

However, before Alex is able to form an adequately snarky reply, her gaze settles on the brunette's neck. She closes her mouth and smirks, saying nothing as they enter the school. Marissa, for her part, only notices the small smile playing on the blonde's lips and she brushes it off as her being able to successfully subdue the other girl's sarcastic impulses.

The couple reach Marissa's locker mere moments before Summer strides up to them. "Hi Malex," the small brunette greets them.

"Uh, what?" Is the confused reaction to the greeting. They stare at Summer as if they had just discovered that she is, in fact, a pod person.

"It takes too long to say 'Hi Marissa, hi Alex' that I decided to just combine your names. You guys are practically joined at the hip anyways," the smaller girl explains herself nonchalantly.

"You decided to combine our names?" Marissa tries to make sure that she understands what her best friend just said.

"It'll be much easier this way," Summer simply nods.

"It's a portmanteau," Alex mumbles, mostly to herself.

"What?" The blonde's girlfriend questions, having heard her quiet utterance.

The bar manager looks over at her, not aware that she even spoke aloud. "A portmanteau," she repeats, louder this time. She receives a pair of blank looks. "It's a new word formed by joining two other words, or names, and combining their meanings," she explains immediately, blushing at the amused expressions on the other two girls' faces.

"Coop, you're totally dating a closet geek," Summer unnecessarily points out with a smirk.

"I know," Marissa replies with a fond smile directed towards the blonde leaning up against the locker next to hers.

"Why does her name come first?" Alex suddenly asks the shorter brunette.

"Huh?" Is the eloquent reply.

"Why is it 'Malex' instead of, like, 'Alissa' or something?" She clarifies her earlier question.

"Because I'm awesome like that," Marissa grins and Alex arches an unimpressed eyebrow in response. "Besides, does it even matter?"

"I don't know. That's why I asked," Alex points out.

Summer watches the pair, amused at bearing witness to another one of their pointless arguments. When Marissa, having totally forgotten about her standing there, turns to fully face the blonde, Summer's eyes widen is surprise.

"Coop, is that a hickey?!" Summer blurts out her question much louder than she intended. The hallway is silent as the other students' attention becomes riveted to the trio.

Marissa's hand immediately go up to her neck and she shoots a glare at her girlfriend, who is trying desperately to hold in her laugh. _She saw it! That's why she didn't get pissed when I taunted her about me tricking her into coming to school with me. Bitch._ She scowls at the realization.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She finally question the blonde.

Alex smiles as she backs away slowly, having enough foresight to know that her next words may not be fully appreciated by the other girl. "Because you didn't ask," she shrugs innocently.

"Argh!" Marissa grunts before slamming her locker shut and heading to English.

"See you in class, Baby!" Alex calls down the hallway before erupting into another fit of laughter. Her attention soon turns to the smaller brunette who, despite her folded arms and arched eyebrow, is obviously holding back a smile of her own. "She started it," she is quick to defend herself.

"I'm sure she did," the unconvinced girl replies.

"Well, I could explain it to you, but I have a feeling that you really won't want to hear the details," Alex says, her tone clearly indicating what those 'details' include.

At this, Summer holds up her hands to signal that she not go any further. "Okay. I'll take your word for it," she states, not wanting to know _**anything **_about her best friend's sex life.

"Are you sure because you don't seem like-"

Alex's teasing retort is cut off when Summer places her fingers in her ears. "I can't hear you!" The shorter girl calls out as she walks towards their first class, not removing her fingers from their position. The blonde simply shakes her head in amusement as she trails behind the other girl.

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**5:00 pm**

After making up during their lunch period, as the couple is apt to do, Marissa finds herself laying on the couch in her living room with her cell phone glued to her ear and a smile on her face.

"So, what are you up to?" She asks her girlfriend with a cheeky grin.

There is a short chuckle on the other end of the line. _"Aside from talking to you, I am not doing much. Jodie's filing her nails while she's standing at the bar…now she's glaring at me for talking about her_," Alex narrates from her end of the line at the Bait Shop.

"_Now she's giving Alex the finger," _Jodie barks in the background, causing both girl's to break into laughter. _"And now Jodie's annoyed as hell and is going to the office to play Solitaire," _she grumbles.

"_Don't go surfing for porn again Jo!" _Alex shouts at the other woman before the door slams shut. _"What about you 'Riss? What's on the agenda for you tonight?" _She questions her girlfriend.

"Oh, Ryan's coming over so we can finish ironing out the details of the bonfire tomorrow night," Marissa replies, anxious to get the whole bonfire done and over with.

"_You guys already ordered to wood and finished with the scale model and crap. What else do you have to go over?" _Alex wonders, her brows furrowed as she contemplates the bonfire.

"You know, placement and the construction schedule for tomorrow," Marissa says easily. "I'm not sure what else. It was Ryan's idea and I figured that it would be best if we went over everything again anyways just to be safe," she further adds.

"_Makes sense," _the blonde agrees with a slight nod, trying to fight the surge of irrational jealousy. She tries to brush it off since she trusts her girlfriend more than anything.

Before the brunette can respond, there is a knock at the door. "Hey, Lex, Ryan just got here. I'm going to let you go, okay?" She sighs into the line.

"_Of course," _is the easy answer, since the blonde doesn't really have much of a choice in the matter.

"Great," Marissa smiles as she goes to the door. "I love you," she feels the need to add after a moment.

"_I love you too," _Alex returns the sentiment, relief evident in her tone at the reassurance of the other girl's feelings. _"I'll see you later," _she says with a smile.

"Bye," Marissa grins before reluctantly hanging up the phone as she opens the door. "Hey stranger," she awkwardly greets Ryan.

"Hey back," the blonde boy replies as he makes his way inside the house. "Where do you want to do this?" He questions, his eyes briefly turning towards the stairs, presumably to indicate Marissa's room.

Unfortunately for Marissa, her back is turned so she didn't see his subtle indication. "The living room's fine. No one is expected to be home until later," she shrugs before resuming her previous position on the couch.

Ryan's shoulders sag slightly as he sits down next to her and places a blue print of the bonfire model on the table in front of them. "So…" he trails off, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

Marissa can't help but shift uncomfortably, moving over slightly since he sat so close to her. "What do we need to go over here?" She wonders aloud, trying to figure out when it became so hard to be around her former boyfriend.

The blonde boy simply sighs as he turns to face the brunette. "How are things going with Alex?" He asks, trying to meet her eyes.

For some reason, Marissa doesn't feel particularly comfortable discussing her relationship with Alex with the boy next to her. It's especially strange considering that, under any other circumstance, she finds it near impossible to _**stop **_talking about the other girl.

"Uh, you know," she vaguely answers him with a shrug.

"Yeah," Ryan draws out as he moves closer and fixes her with a pained expression. "Marissa…" he pauses briefly to gather his thoughts.

The other girl can see the wheels turning in his head as she notes the other boy's torn expression. "Ryan, don't," she says, breaking into his thoughts.

"I miss you," he says, ignoring her quiet plea for him not to say anything more.

Marissa closes her eyes briefly at his confession. "Look, Ryan, I miss-"

She doesn't get the chance to finish her sentence because her ex-boyfriend leans over and covers her lips with his own in a soft kiss.

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Oh no I _**didn't**_! Yes, I'm afraid I did. This chapter is ending with Ryan and Marissa kissing. I promised drama, didn't I? Don't worry, I promise I haven't gone to the dark side (straight pairings…ew)…or _**have **_I? You'll have to check back for the next chapter, which will, hopefully, conclude this episode with the long-awaited bonfire. Hmm, how will I play out the episode that signaled Alex's tragic departure from the show? I'm also thinking that Jodie is going to have to make an appearance at the bonfire in the next chapter too.

Chapter 11 of _**Taking Risks**_ is now up. And, hey, while you're checking out that _House_ story, you can check out _**This Year Will Be Different**_, a sequel of sorts to _**Ringing in the New Year**_. Make sure to check out my profile for updated info on upcoming stories and current ones…if you're interested of course.


	30. I'm Going to Kick His Ass

**A/N**:_ Blaze of Glory_…finally the end of this episode! Little to no actual dialogue from the episode used, just the fact that there is even a bonfire at all is pretty much all there is to the spoiler.

**A/N2**: Long and quite eventful. Don't you just love eventful chapters? Actually, this is the longest chapter in this story by far. I just didn't want to drag this episode out for another chapter. Sorry if it's annoyingly long.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

"_I miss you," he says, ignoring her quiet plea for him not to say anything more._

_Marissa closes her eyes briefly at his confession. "Look, Ryan, I miss-"_

_She doesn't get the chance to finish her sentence because her ex-boyfriend leans over and covers her lips with his own in a soft kiss._

**Chapter Thirty - I'm Going to Kick His Ass**

Marissa's eyes snap open at the contact and she roughly pushes Ryan away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She barks at him as she stands up to further distance herself.

Ryan gives her a pained expression as he stands as well, slowly moving towards his ex-girlfriend. "I think it was pretty obvious," he quietly states.

"I'm with Alex…And what about Lindsay?" The brunette points out in exasperation.

The blonde boy runs his fingers through his hair and glances away for a moment. "If you were trying to make me jealous, it worked, okay? I'm jealous of…_**her**_," he draws the last word out with a grimace, hating to admit it.

"Well, I wasn't trying to make you jealous. You and I are just friends Ryan," Marissa firmly replies.

"It's not that easy. We…we have too much of a history to be 'just friends'. There is too much between us and…I still love you," Ryan continues to argue his point in an effort to get the other girl to see reason.

"I'm sorry Ryan, but if we can't be friends then we can't be anything at all. I love Alex, not you," she says, feeling bad for hurting the other boy but knowing that it has to be said.

"This thing with Alex is just a phase. You know that, I know that, your mom-"

"Have you been talking to my mom?" Marissa questions in surprise. The guilty look on the blonde boy's face is answer enough for her. "Okay, you need to leave right now," she states angrily as she begins to push him towards the door.

"Please, just let me-"

"No. I can't believe that you would listen to _**anything **_my mom told you. You don't know anything about my relationship with Alex," she snaps before opening the door and waiting for him to leave.

Ryan sighs and gives the brunette a sad look. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt…especially by Alex," he explains himself and his motivations.

"The only person hurting me right now is you," Marissa enlightens him before closing the door. She releases a deep breath and closes her eyes, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.

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**8:30 pm**

"I am so bored!" Jodie moans as she is laying on the counter of the bar in the empty club.

Alex turns and shoots the dark-haired woman a dirty look. "Get down!" She barks crossly, having just cleaned the spot that her friend's ass is now resting on.

Jodie merely moves her head to the side so that she is looking at the blonde. "Where the hell _**is**_ everyone tonight?" She questions in lieu of moving. "And what could you _**possibly**_ be cleaning off? There's no one here so stop being so damned OCD," she adds in irritation at the other girl's obsessive cleaning.

With a scowl, Alex throws the rag she was using to wipe the counter onto the brunette's face. "Happy?" She snarks with a mockingly sweet tone before looking at the club's entrance with a sigh. "I suppose everyone's saving up for tomorrow to do their partying," she guesses in response to her friend's first question.

Jodie removes the rag from her face with a look of disgust and chucks it under the bar. "What's tomorrow?" She wonders lazily.

"The bonfire/pep rally for Harbor," Alex replies as she turns her attention back to the other girl, leaning her back against the bar.

"_**Oh**_," Jodie draws out in realization before her face drops back into a mask of indifference. "Well, _**that **_sounds retarded," she scoffs.

Alex's lips turn up at the corners into a smirk. "Marissa's in charge of organizing it," she informs the shorter woman.

Jodie arches her eyebrows in amusement. "It just figures that you would be dating a Girl Scout," she notes before she bursts into laughter.

"What is it now?" The blonde asks after a moment, wondering what has Jodie so amused.

"Nothing. It's just…if you think about it, it's kind of like you're dating yourself from three years ago," the brunette observes, still chuckling as she does so.

The blonde rolls her eyes, despite the small amount of truth in the statement. "You know what, you're being completely useless and a pain in my ass right now. Go home," she orders her best friend.

This motivates Jodie to roll off of the counter and on to her feet. "Hallelujah!" She exclaims in relief. "Have fun at the pepfire bon rally or whatever," she waves off.

"Actually it a _**bon**_fire…Never mind," Alex trails off, shaking her head as she realizes that it would be pointless to correct the other woman.

"Does that mean you aren't coming to Paul's party on the beach tomorrow night?" Jodie thinks to ask before she leaves the building.

"It's just down the beach from the bonfire. I'm going to hang out at the bonfire for a little while and then just head to the party," Alex replies with a shrug.

"Yeah right," Jodie scoffs. "Do you really think Marissa will let you off of your very short leash long enough to come to the party?" She questions with a smirk.

"Ha ha," Alex deadpans. "Get out of here before I stab you in the eye with this cocktail umbrella," she threatens the brunette with the small pink paper umbrella.

"Bye," Jodie chuckles as she finally exits the club.

Glancing around her at the uncharacteristically empty club, Alex releases a sigh and runs her fingers through her hair. The decision of whether or not to close early is an easy one. She signs off of the register and grabs the discarded rag to wipe down the part of the counter that Jodie's ass was laying on moments ago.

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**Friday, 11:30 am**

Marissa is at the beach pretending to supervise the construction of the 'Trojan Horse' for the bonfire. She is secretly glad that she had no obligation to go to school today since she is in charge of the bonfire tonight. This has afforded her the luxury of getting more time to debate whether or not to tell her girlfriend about her encounter with Ryan the night before. Releasing a deep breath, the brunette reaches for her cell phone and dials a familiar number.

"_Hey Coop. Something wrong?" _Her best friend's voice questions upon answering the phone.

"Yes. Kind of…maybe," Marissa babbles into the line, combing her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"_That __**really **__clears it up," _Summer replies and Marissa can practically see the shorter girl rolling her eyes.

"It's Ryan," the taller girl admits with a sigh.

"_Whoa! I thought you were over him," _the other girl cuts in before Marissa can continue, all thoughts of getting to her next class on time completely thrown out the window.

"I am but when he came over last night to work on the bonfire…he kissed me," Marissa admits quietly.

"_Oh my god! He did?" _Summer screeches into her phone, oblivious to the odd stares she is receiving from passing students.

"Yeah and, I mean, it meant nothing to me but I don't know if I should tell Alex about it," the taller brunette finally gets to the reason of her call.

"_If it was me, I would tell Cohen…but then again, I don't think he would be able to kick any of my ex-boyfriends' asses even if he wanted to,"_ Summer replies slowly. _"What do you think she would do if you told her?"_ She then asks, hoping to get a read on the level of the blonde bartender's jealousy potential.

"I don't honestly know. I mean, she's pretty laid back and she didn't go completely insane with jealousy when I told her that Ryan was coming over last night," Marissa sighs into the line as she drops into a sitting position on the sand.

"_Then again, this is also the same girl that beat the crap out of that kid for outing you to the school,"_ the other brunette is quick to mention. _"You're going to have to use your best judgment here Coop. You know Alex a lot better than I do."_

The taller of the two closes her eyes. "I was afraid you'd say something like that," Marissa mumbles to herself. "Thanks Sum. I'll see you tonight," she says before flipping her phone shut and tapping it thoughtfully against her chin.

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**Lunch, 30 Minutes Later**

"Shut up," Alex laughs as she playfully shoves Josh off the bench they are sitting on with her other friends outside.

"Don't be such an evil bitch," the other boy whines from his position on the ground.

"Don't be such a crybaby," Alex retorts, her friend sticks out his tongue in response. Before she even has a chance to comment on his childishness, she feels her phone vibrating in her pocket. Looking at the screen, she can't help the smile that forms on her face.

"Oh god, it's the girlfriend," Tracy rolls her eyes at the other girl's expression. There is a collective groan from the others, which prompts Alex to give them the finger as she stands up and answers her phone.

"Hey Baby, how's the slacking going down at the beach?" The blonde grins into the line.

"_I'm not slacking, I'm __**supervising**__. There's a difference,"_ Marissa points out with a smile of her own.

"Oh yeah? What is that difference 'Riss?" She challenges the other girl.

"_I don't have to explain myself to you," _the brunette replies after a moment of thoughtful silence.

"Okay, fine," Alex chuckles. "What's up?" She questions, curious about the phone call in the middle of the school day.

Marissa bites her bottom lip nervously. _"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice," _she says instead of telling her girlfriend about the kiss the night before. She decided at the last minute that she shouldn't tell the blonde about it over the phone. It will be a lot easier to keep Alex from finding Ryan and killing him if she is close by.

"It's good to hear your voice too," the girl with the purple streak in her hair smiles softly, even though she has a feeling that the other girl meant to say something else.

"_You're still coming tonight, right?" _The taller of the two asks for reassurance.

"Wouldn't miss it," Alex confirms easily as she takes a look around the courtyard and spots Marissa's usual table.

"_Good," _Marissa sighs in relief.

"Is there something wrong?" The blonde can't help but ask when she hears her girlfriend's tone.

"_No, I just…I can't wait to see you," _the other girl replies, not telling the whole truth.

Alex furrows her brows at the brunette's words. "I'll be there as soon as the warden releases us," she jokes lightly before cocking her head to the side in confusion as she spots Summer watching her from the other end of the courtyard.

"_Alright then. I'm going to let you go so I can get back to __**supervising**__," _Marissa smirks at the blonde.

"I'll definitely have to see this for myself," Alex cheekily replies.

"_I love you," _Marissa says sincerely into the phone.

"I love you too," Alex grins. "I'll see you soon. Bye," she promises and, after a quick goodbye from the other girl, she hangs up.

Alex stares at her phone for a moment, her smile slowly fading. Deep down she knows the other girl wanted to tell her something important but, for whatever reason, couldn't. She sighs and runs her fingers through her hair before looking up again. Upon seeing the concerned look Summer is directing towards her, she decides to go over to the table where Seth and Summer are seated to investigate.

"Alex!" Seth greets the bartender with a broad smile.

The blonde briefly smiles back at the curly-haired boy before turning her attention to his girlfriend. "Something wrong?" She bluntly asks the small brunette.

"I don't know what you mean," Summer replies much too quickly for it to be believable.

"The fact that you have been staring at me like someone died ever since Marissa called me gave you away," Alex counters the denial as she takes an empty seat at the table.

Summer offers her a sympathetic look once the other girl confirmed that it was Marissa on the phone. "I just wanted to see how badly you reacted when she told you that Ryan kissed her last night," she confesses. Upon witnessing Alex's face fall at her words, Summer's eyes widen in realization. "Oh my god! She totally didn't tell you, did she?" She hysterically asks.

"Ryan did _**what**_?!" Alex shouts angrily, having quickly gotten over the shock.

"Seriously?" Seth asks his girlfriend, his best friend not having told him last night that he kissed Marissa.

Alex stands up abruptly and looks around the courtyard. Summer, recognizing what the blonde is trying to do, gets up as well, making sure she is standing directly in front of the other girl and blocking her view.

"No, no, no. Don't do something stupid," the small brunette all but orders as she takes a hold of Alex's arms in an attempt to keep the taller girl from picking a fight with Ryan in the middle of school.

The blonde narrows her eyes. "I'm going to kick his ass," Alex growls.

"No. You aren't," Summer says slowly and peacefully, trying to get the bartender to calm down. She doesn't continue speaking until she has the other girl's attention. "Marissa probably just didn't want to tell you over the phone because she didn't want you to react…like this," she continues with her task of placating her best friend's girlfriend.

At the mention of the tall brunette's name, Alex stops her visual search of the short blonde guy and focuses completely on the girl in front of her. Summer certainly makes a valid point. It explains why Marissa sounded a little off over the phone and why she seemed so eager to see the blonde. With a resigned sigh, the bartender relaxes her posture and drops the scowl, giving Summer a compliant nod to show that she understands.

However, from behind Alex, Summer spots the object of the blonde's ire approaching the group. Seth, following his girlfriend's gaze, turns around. Before Summer has any chance to intercept her boyfriend's impulsiveness, he ruins the fragile peace of the moment.

"Ryan! Hey Buddy, we were just talking about you," Seth grins mischievously as soon as his friend is within earshot.

Alex's head snaps around to glare at the approaching boy. Summer tugs hard on her arm to regain the angry blonde's attention. "Don't. It meant nothing to her at all. You need to talk to her for yourself before you do something that you'll regret," the smaller girl pleads quietly.

Pulling her arm free from the other girl's loosened grip, Alex stares at her for a moment longer before turning around. Summer holds her breath as the bartender goes over to Ryan and…roughly pushes past him without saying a word or sparing him anything more than a brief glare. The small brunette breathes out in relief.

"What's her problem?" Ryan questions the remaining pair with a frown as he casts a glance back towards the blonde's retreating figure.

Summer steps up into his personal space with a glower of her own. "You screwed up big time," she informs the sandy-haired boy, poking him in the chest for emphasis before walking away and pulling out her cell phone.

The other line rings twice before being picked up. _"Hello?" _The other person greets.

Taking a deep breath, Summer decides to just come right out and say it. "Coop, don't hate me but I have some bad news…"

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**6:15 pm**

Marissa is sitting anxiously on a bench some ways down the beach from where the construction for the bonfire has long since finished up. She has a death grip on her cell phone. After getting the call from her best friend several hours ago, she tried to get a hold of Alex, but the blonde never picked up. Another phone call to Summer let her know that her girlfriend had left school, but no one seemed to know where she was…not even Jodie, which was something of an awkward conversation.

The brunette is stuck sitting around waiting for someone to call to let her know what's going on or, best case scenario, Alex calls her personally. Tearing her eyes off of the water, Marissa happens to spot a figure moving towards her from the distance. Immediately jumping to her feet, she doesn't bother brushing herself off as she runs off to meet the other girl.

"I'm sorry I didn't just tell you, but I didn't want to do it over the phone. I promise I was going to tell you though. It meant nothing, I swear," Marissa blurts as soon as she sees Alex open her mouth to say something. She just wanted to make sure she had a chance to get everything out before the blonde started yelling at her.

For her own part, Alex's mouth snaps shut, the majority of her questions already answered. She runs her fingers through her hair and sighs as she looks out over the water. Returning her gaze to the brunette, she is surprised to find tears in her girlfriend's eyes.

"Oh, hey. It's okay," Alex is quick to comfort the taller girl as she pulls her into a tight embrace.

Marissa clings to the blonde, a few tears escaping. "You're not mad at me?" She questions tentatively, having taken the other girl's silence after her explanation as a bad sign.

At this, Alex pulls away slightly so that she can meet her girlfriend's eyes. "Why would I be mad at you? You didn't do anything wrong," she assures the distraught brunette with a small smile.

The brunette removes her arms from around the other girl's waist and takes a hold of both of Alex's hands so that she can lace their fingers together. "Then where did you disappear to after you left school?" She wonders quietly, curious as to why the blonde seemed to have vanished.

Alex smirks, not so much at the question as she does at the answer to that question. "I went and 'hid' in the most improbable place you could think of…" she trails off to see if her girlfriend can fill in the blank.

Marissa chuckles, recognizing the other girl's tone that suggests impending mockery. "You're apartment," she rolls her eyes at how obvious it seems now.

Nodding proudly at the correct answer, Alex decides that she needs to further explain her absence. "I needed to go home and calm down before I came to see you. I didn't want to show up here mad," she states honestly.

"I thought you said that you weren't mad," Marissa furrows her brows at the contradiction.

"I didn't say that I wasn't mad, I said that I wasn't mad at _**you**_," the bar manager corrects. "I was still really pissed at Ryan and, since Summer wouldn't let me kick his ass, I needed to cool off so I wouldn't come here and take my frustration out on you by saying something that I'd regret. I-"

"Are you _**still **_really pissed at him?" Marissa interrupts her girlfriend's rant, having picked up on the past tense usage of the word.

"Ryan ignored the fact that the both of you are already involved and he tried to undermine our relationship. I'm pissed at him for more than just the kiss," Alex sighs.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I pushed him off right away and kicked his ass out of my house," Marissa offers with a warm smile.

The blonde chuckles and shakes her head slightly in amusement at the mental image of him being thrown out the door. "It does make me feel a _**little**_ better," she admits with a grin.

"So, we're okay?" Marissa asks just to be certain, although she already has a pretty good idea as to the answer.

Alex wraps her arms back around the taller girl and pulls her close. "Always," she smiles sweetly before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on the other girl's lips.

"Aw, Coop, that was…that was just too cute," Summer gushes from beside the couple, having witnessed much of the conversation, unnoticed, from the sidelines.

The two girls break apart at the intrusion. "Don't stop on our account," Seth grins lecherously next to his girlfriend.

"Shut up Perv!" Summer barks at him, punctuating her sentence with a smack to his head with her purse.

Marissa and Alex share a warm smile, knowing that their moment is now totally ruined. This fact is further cemented as other people slowly begin to arrive on the beach.

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**8:30 pm**

Despite her initial misgivings on the whole event, Alex finds herself actually having a good time at the bonfire/pep rally. After the whole 'romantic reunion on the beach', as Summer has begun to call the events of earlier this evening, Alex and Marissa have pretty much been inseparable.

Now, the couple is standing in front of the fully erected Trojan Horse watching it slowly begin to burn, having just been lit. Alex is standing with an arm draped over her girlfriend's shoulders with Marissa resting her head on the other girl's shoulder and an arm wrapped around the blonde's waist. For once, Seth and Summer manage to be cuddled up against one another without fighting as they stand next to the other couple.

"This is actually pretty cool," Alex admits to the group before tilting her head closer to Marissa's ear. "I'm proud of you," she whispers to the brunette, amazed at how well this came together despite the other girl's high level stress leading up to it.

In response, Marissa grins and moves so that she has both arms wrapped around the blonde's waist. She lifts her head and gives her a light kiss. "I love you," she softly says against her girlfriend's lips.

"I love you too," Alex smiles, her voice just as low as the brunette's, loud enough to only be heard by the girl she is speaking to and not the mass of people around them, Seth and Summer included.

"You know, I think Captain Oats would be greatly disturbed by this," Seth comments on the bonfire and the inspiration for the idea.

Alex shakes her head and smiles. Due to the shake of her head, the bartender spots the last person she wants to see right now. She fixes an involuntary scowl on her face as the boy notices her as well and makes his way over.

Feeling the body she's pressed up against stiffen, Marissa looks up at her girlfriend in confusion. "Something wrong?" She asks the other girl, gaining Summer and Seth's attention as well.

"Hey Marissa. Can I talk to you for a second?" A voice from behind her asks, causing her to pull away from Alex and face Ryan.

"Uh oh," Summer intones, sensing a conflict brewing. "We'll just be…away," she excuses herself and Seth, dragging the reluctant boy along.

Marissa gives her girlfriend a pleading expression. "Go away, Ryan," Alex simply tells him, speaking for the brunette.

"This is between Marissa and me," Ryan scowls at the blonde.

"There is no 'you and me' anymore. Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of her," Marissa snaps back at him, not appreciating the way he is talking to her girlfriend.

"Fine. I haven't been able to say anything before, but I just don't think I can hold my tongue anymore: I think you're making a big mistake by being with her," the sandy-haired boy bites back as he points at Alex but keeps his eyes on his ex.

"Excuse me?!" The blonde asks incredulously as she feels her previous irritation building into rage.

"You _**really**_ need to go now," Marissa tells her ex-boyfriend, upset that he would even presume to know enough about Alex to make that judgment.

"Come on, let's just go somewhere so we can talk about this...alone," Ryan pointedly glares at Alex before placing a hand on the brunette's upper arm to urge her to go with him.

"Let go of her!" Alex growls when she sees him roughly grabbing Marissa.

Ryan releases the other girl and turns on the blonde. "Stay out of-"

The rest of his sentence is cut off as a fist collides with his face with a cracking sound, sending him to the ground with his hands going straight to his broken and bloody nose. Alex shakes her hand in pain from the force of the blow as she watches him stay down.

"Sorry," Alex mumbles, hoping her girlfriend isn't too disappointed in her because of her momentary loss of restraint when he started to appear aggressive.

"I'm just mad that you just beat me to it," Marissa replies as she looks up from Ryan, who is fighting tears, back to her girlfriend with a smile on her face.

"Aw, 'ow sweet. Lexi, like, totally defended your honor," a mocking voice slurs from behind them.

Alex rolls her eyes, not even having to look. "Jodie, what the hell are you doing here?" She questions her best friend.

"To drag you over to Paul's party, duh," Jodie snorts obviously as she cranes her neck to see the damage the blonde caused. "Nice shot," she whistles, impressed.

"What?" Marissa scrunches up her face as she tries to remember if the other girl ever mentioned that one of her friends was having a party tonight.

Rubbing the back of her neck nervously, Alex turns her attention back to Marissa. "Yeah. I meant to ask you about that, but-"

"'Ask'?" Jodie scoffs rudely. "Bitch, you're _**telling **_her that you're going to the party, not _**asking **_if it's okay. You're 17, you don't need her permission," she continues drunkenly until Alex nudges her hard enough to shut her up.

The blonde then turns her gaze towards her girlfriend in a silent plea for permission to go join her friends on the other side of the beach…despite Jodie's claim that she doesn't need to ask for permission in the first place. "Fine," Marissa sighs dramatically, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh boy! Now she can come an' play with the rest of the big kids," Jodie claps her hands sarcastically in excitement, swaying on her feet. "Come on, Loser. Let's go," she then seriously instructs her friend to get her to follow.

Taking a moment to think, Alex smirks and takes her girlfriend's hand. "You're coming too," she says with finality.

"What? No way. They're _**your **_friends Lex," Marissa points out, offering a substantial amount of resistance at being dragged down the beach.

"Yeah, you don't have to bring your girlfriend everywhere you go. She'll be a total drag," Jodie sides with Marissa…in her own way.

"Yeah, well, you have to get to know them sooner or later," Alex argues, not giving up...even in the face of both of her companions disagreeing with her.

"Why?" Marissa whines, allowing herself to be led down the beach anyways.

"Because I have already been forced to get to know your friends and none of mine are half as bad as Seth _**or **_Summer," the blonde answers back, knowing that she has won the argument. Jodie sighs in irritation as the three of them meet up with the other group of teens.

An hour later, Marissa is chatting amiably with Tracy and Beth. As she takes a sip of her soda (having sworn off alcohol since her hangover yesterday morning), she glances over to check on her girlfriend. She shakes her head in amusement when Alex and Jodie both pop open a new beer and appear to be racing to see who finishes theirs first.

When the blonde emerges as the victor, Marissa can't help the impish smile that forms on her face as she realizes that tonight Alex is going to be the one carried back to her apartment and waking up with a hangover.

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You guys didn't _**actually**_ think I'd let Marissa and Ryan get back together, did you? I'd like to think that Marissa and Alex's relationship is a lot stronger in this story and not under the same stress as it was on the show when they were living together.

So, there was a little violence but no evil and irrationally jealous Alex. I think she was appropriately angry in this chapter, not overly so like in the show. I would have hit him in the same circumstance too. Ryan was a desperate jerk trying to get back with Marissa. He was the one jealous this time around...which should be explained in the next chapter.

Also, I never said this would be the last chapter, just the end of the episode that ended Alex's run on the show. The next chapter will pick up the morning after the bonfire with Alex's inevitable hangover (Hee!). It will also contain some dialogue that I stole directly from _Blaze of Glory_, just in a different context. Other than that, I can now splinter off from the show's actual episodes back into my own little world.

I made some minor updates to my profile, nothing too massive though. Chapter 12 of _**Taking Risks**_ is now up as well as chapter two of _**This Year Will Be Different**_ (I was inspired, so I decided to go with it). Check them out if you're interested and, as always, let me know what you think.


	31. Videogames and Apologies

**A/N**: So, like I said at the end of the last chapter, I am stealing a small amount of dialogue from the end of _Blaze of Glory_, but it will be in a different context and said by different characters. Other than that, I am free to go back to ignoring the show's actual plotlines again (like I did for the first twenty chapters). I may occasionally 'borrow' stuff from other Malex episodes, but I'll let you know when I do.

**A/N2**: Personally, I am not a big fan of people beating each other up and I can rarely be bothered to write fight scenes (except in some old _Buffy_ stories). However, I really wanted Alex to do something to Ryan because, well, he _**has**_ been acting like a douche. I was satisfied with her breaking his nose.

**A/N3**: Another long-ass chapter…the first two scenes ended up a hell of a lot longer than intended.

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_**Where We Left Off:**_

_An hour later, Marissa is chatting amiably with Tracy and Beth. As she takes a sip of her soda (having sworn off alcohol since her last hangover yesterday morning), she glances over to check on her girlfriend. She shakes her head in amusement when Alex and Jodie both pop open a new beer and appear to be racing to see who finishes theirs first. _

_When the blonde emerges as the victor, Marissa can't help the impish smile that forms on her face as she realizes that tonight Alex is going to be the one carried back to her apartment. Tomorrow morning, Alex is going to be the one with the hangover._

**Chapter Thirty-One - Videogames and Apologies**

**The Next Day, 9:55 am**

Marissa is relaxing in her girlfriend's living room watching TV and eating _Lucky Charms_, which she suspects belong to Jodie if the word 'MINE' written in permanent marker is any indication.

After waking up almost an hour ago, she decided to cut Alex a break and let her sleep in as she carefully slid out from under the other girl. When she was flipping through the channels, she happened on an elusive episode of _**Ren and Stimpy**_. Even better, there were two episodes back to back.

Now, with the credits rolling after the final episode, Marissa stands up and stretches. Taking her empty bowl into the kitchen and washing it out, she leans against the counter and tries to decide what to do with herself. Determining that she is bored waiting around for Alex to wake up, she figures that she'll just have to solve this problem on her own. Slowly opening the bedroom door back up, Marissa creeps in and stands at the end of the bed with a fond smile on her face.

Alex is face-down and sprawled out on the bed, the blankets kicked off of her and tangled up with her toned legs. The unconscious teen is wearing a simple black wife-beater and a pair of _**South Park**_ boxers with Cartman giving the finger, the words 'whatever, I'll do what I want' printed over his head. Her hair is a tousled mess and her mouth is hanging slightly open, a small puddle of drool forming at the corner of her mouth. Marissa thinks she looks adorable. _All good things must come to an end though._ She smirks mischievously, deciding that this is the perfect opportunity to get revenge for the blonde's constant teasing.

Without further hesitation, Marissa goes to the window and pulls the shades wide open, letting in the harsh light. Alex groans, closes her mouth and buries her head in the pillow, but remains otherwise asleep. Frowning, the brunette decides that since her girlfriend is apparently such a heavy sleeper, she's going to have to take appropriate measures to wake her up.

Marissa considers the option of gently shaking Alex by the shoulder. An even better possibility would be to crawl over the shorter girl, sweep her blonde-and-purple hair to the side and kiss her neck until she wakes up.

The social chair discards both ideas as she climbs up on the bed and begins jumping up and down. "Wake up! Wake up! It's morning, Alex! Time to get out of bed, Sleepyhead!" Marissa laughs as she bounces on the mattress.

"Holy shit!" Alex shrieks girlishly, startled at the sudden assault on her dulled senses as she scrambles to roll out of the bed. However, with her legs being twisted up with the sheets, she tumbles out of her bed and onto her already suffering head, her ass landing a moment later...hard.

"Ooh," Marissa winces in sympathy as she ceases her jumping. She sits down on the bed, crawls to the edge, and looks over the side to survey the damage.

"Why?" Alex whines pitifully from the floor, her eyes bloodshot from her night of partying.

This makes the brunette feel somewhat guilty. "You wouldn't wake up and I was bored," she explains herself sheepishly.

"And _**that **_was your solution?" The bartender questions skeptically, her voice scratchy from the amount of alcohol she consumed the night before as well as from just being rudely awakened.

"Sorry?" Marissa offers hesitantly, not sure if that'll work.

Alex narrows her eyes, although the other girl isn't sure if it's from irritation or from being simply hung-over. The blonde mumbles something phonically similar to 'whatever' before reaching up and grabbing one of her pillows off the bed. She pulls it under her head and closes her eyes, trying desperately to go back to sleeping off the alcohol from the previous night.

In response, Marissa merely blinks incredulously. Half of her girlfriend's body is laying on the cold hardwood floor curled up to a pillow and the other half is either on the bed or in the air, awkwardly tangled with the blankets still. The brunette wonders if getting back to sleep in this position is even possible.

Sliding off the bed and onto the floor, Marissa moves closer to the bartender and softly combs her fingers through the girl's hair. At the gentle touches, Alex cracks open a bloodshot eye and turns her head slightly towards the other girl.

"Good morning," Marissa offers sweetly with an innocent smile.

The shorter of the pair gets halfway through an eye roll before deciding that it is far too painful. She settles for a sigh. "You're not going to leave me alone until I get up, are you?" She asks suspiciously.

"I love you," Marissa grins in lieu of an actual answer.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky I love you too or else I'd have to kill you for waking me up like that," Alex grouches, earning a disbelieving smirk from the other girl. "After I stopped feeling like my eyes were bleeding, of course," she qualifies her half-threat, knowing that she is in no condition to stand let alone kill anything.

"Of course," the brunette humors the girl still partially laying on the floor.

Alex tries to glare at her girlfriend, having sensed the sarcasm in her voice, however, the brightness of the room prevents her from being able to even keep her eyes open. "'Riss, can you turn down the volume on the lights. Too, loud," she groans, burying her head into the pillow once again.

Trying to suppress her laughter, Marissa rises up and closes the blinds, bathing the room in semi-darkness once again. "Better?" She questions softly, crouching back down next to her awkwardly positioned girlfriend.

The blonde rolls over onto her back as best she can given her current situation. At the movement, one of her legs becomes liberated from the confines of the sheet as it drops heavily to the floor with a thud.

"I'm never drinking again," Alex declares as she looks up into her girlfriend's smiling face.

"Of course you aren't," Marissa softly replies, not entirely convinced, as she gently tugs on the shorter girl's chunk of purple-streaked hair.

Wincing slightly, Alex weakly bats the other girl's hand away. "Don't. My hair hurts," she protests.

"You're cute," the brunette declares, stifling her laughter at the other girl's statement. Alex merely sticks out her tongue instead of verbally responding. "Come on now, I wasn't _**this **_bad when I woke up with a hangover on Thursday," she tries to motivate the bartender into getting up.

"That's because I let you wake up on your own and _**not **_with me jumping around and giving you a concussion because I was bored," Alex reasonably points out, grunting as she tries to untangle her other leg from the blanket.

"Want some help?" Marissa questions the struggling blonde with an arched eyebrow.

After one last failed attempt, the other girl sighs and gives up. "As much fun as spending the day on my bedroom floor is…" she trails off her snarky comment when she sees the earnest expression on her girlfriend's face. "Please?" She surrenders with resignation. Moments later her other foot is finally free. "Thanks," she mumbles.

"You're welcome…you stubborn ass," Marissa smirks.

The shorter girl pulls herself up into a sitting position with her back against the bed. She gingerly reaches up to feel the spot on the back of her head that she landed on when she fell.

"Does your hair still hurt?" Marissa can't resist the urge to ask, barely containing her laughter.

Alex manages to complete an eye roll without incident before tilting her head to the side in consternation. "I don't remember coming back home. How much did I drink last night?" She questions, trying to fill in the blanks of the party on the beach after the bonfire.

"Enough that you were named the patron saint of _Captain Morgan's_," the brunette jokes before seeing the unimpressed look on the other girl's face. "Well, when you passed out on the beach sometime around 2:00 am, Josh won a bet since no one else thought you would make it that long," she then begins to recall what happened.

"When did you put money down for?" Alex challenges, knowing the other girl well enough to know that she wouldn't have been able to resist.

"11:00," Marissa simply answers.

"Whew, you were _**way **_off," the blonde replies.

"_**Anyways**_, Jodie and I had to carry your ass back to the Jeep so I could bring you home," the taller girl continues, ignoring the interruption. "Where the hell did you learn to drink like that in the first place? Back at your palace in L.A?" She playfully teases.

"Jodie was a bad influence," is the shrugged response before something about the other girl's answer clicks with her. "You drove my car?" She questions, almost in a panic.

Marissa rolls her eyes. "Yes…and don't worry. There were no maimings or fatalities on the drive back, I promise," she grins.

"Good to know," Alex grins before leaning her head back on the bed. "We should probably get up off the floor now, huh?" She groans slightly, not ready to face the day.

Before Marissa has the chance to answer, the sound of the front door opening and slamming shut is heard. The brunette turns to Alex with an alarmed look on her face. She visibly relaxes when she sees the blonde's eye roll.

"Come on, Bitch! Time to wake up and prepare to get your bony ass handed to you!" The distinct sound of Jodie's voice calls out through the apartment.

"What is _**she **_doing here?" Marissa asks her girlfriend in confusion. Alex opens her mouth to reply, but-

"Who the _**fuck **_has been eating my _Lucky_-_**fucking**_-_Charms_?!" Jodie shouts, obviously enraged, as she begins stomping through the apartment towards the bedroom. "Seriously, Al, you know that that's my fucking, day-after-binging comfort food…and everyone always said that _**I **_was the insensitive one in our…" the Latina trails off as she walks into the bedroom.

"Morning," Marissa greets the other brunette with a smile.

"What the hell are you two doing on the floor?" Jodie wonders, clearly bewildered.

"Taking in the scenery," Alex quips.

"First you stole my cereal and _**now **_you stole the joy I get out of waking up my hung-over best friend? You truly are the devil," the shorter woman narrows her eyes at Marissa at the accusation.

"Why is she here at 10:30 in the morning? And why is she threatening to 'hand you your bony ass'?" Marissa turns her attention back to Alex.

This causes the two friends to burst into laughter. "It's our traditional Hangover Weekend Cure," Jodie explains. "I come over and eat my _Lucky Charms_ while Alex watches me and looks like she's going to be sick. Then…we battle!" She begins calmly before dramatically thrusting her fist in the air to punctuate her last sentence.

"Battle?" The worried brunette repeats.

"We spend hours going head-to-head to see who is the real God of Rock and…and I am determined to win this time. You're going down, Kelly," the confident Latina continues her meaningless rant. Marissa sends her girlfriend a perplexed expression.

"_**Guitar Hero**_," Alex clarifies her best friend's battle-cry.

"I've been practicing on _**World Tour **_while you were at school," Jodie keeps talking, ignoring the other two. "I can totally get 100 percent on _Purple Haze_…on Medium," she brags, kind of.

Alex shakes her head with a smile on her face and Marissa takes in the 21 year old woman's enthusiasm for the game with amusement. However, before either girl can comment, the taller girl's phone begins to ring from the night stand.

"Hey Summer," Marissa greets her best friend with a frown.

"_Thank god, Coop. You're mom has been trying to get a hold of you all morning. I told her that you spent the night at my house and I'd have you home in half an hour,"_ Summer rambles as soon as she hears the taller brunette's voice.

"Did she way why she was looking for me?" Marissa wonders, furrowing her brows as she stands up from the floor. Alex and Jodie share a confused shrug, not entirely sure what's going on.

"_It's Julie Cooper-Nichol_…_when does she __**ever **__explain herself?" _Is the rhetorical question posed by the smaller girl.

"True. I'm at Alex's now, so-"

"_I kind of figured you'd be there. I'm on my way right now. See you in four minutes," _the panicked girl interrupts before ending the call.

Marissa looks down at her phone with a perplexed expression on her face before she turns to her girlfriend. "Um, Summer's coming to pick me up," she slowly says, still trying to process the last several moments she spent on the phone.

"Mommy Dearest is looking for you?" Alex hazards a guess.

"Yeah," the taller girl replies as she reaches down to help the blonde up off the floor. "Summer told her that I stayed at her house last night," she further explains, looking around for her shoes.

"Sounds like _**someone's **_mom is still having a hard time dealing," Jodie snorts, making her presence known once again as she drops onto the messy bed.

"It's not like Julie's kicking her out of the house or anything," Alex snaps back at the Latina, wishing that her friend would learn to stay out of her business.

"Yeah, Julie Cooper isn't _**half **_the drama queen as Tracy Kelly is," the short brunette agrees, leaning back onto the bed and paying no mind to the irritated glare of the blonde.

Bringing her girlfriend's attention back to her, Marissa reaches over and cups the blonde's face in her hands before placing a sweet kiss on her lips. "I'll call you later, okay?" She softly promises.

"Okay," Alex smiles, forgetting the woman relaxing on her bed, as she goes to follow the taller brunette out of the room towards the living room.

Before either girl can say anything else on the matter, there is an incessant pounding on the door. With a playful roll of her eyes, Marissa goes to answer it, Alex right behind her.

"You about re…" Summer trails off mid-sentence as she takes in the disheveled look of her best friend, Alex standing beside her barely wearing anything, and Jodie casually walking out of the blonde's bedroom and walking over to the TV, offering Summer an absent wave. "What they hell happened here last night?" She questions, confused and a little disturbed by the scene.

"We had a hot threesome. You should've been there because we sure could've used someone with a steady hand to hold the camera," Jodie enlightens the brunette standing in the doorway, complete with a look of shock plastered on her face.

"Jo, would it be at all possible for you to just _**shut the fuck up**_!" Alex shouts at her friend, who is going about her business of setting up the videogame.

"You…and her…and _**her**_," the stunned girl stammers, traumatized by the mental images.

"No Sum. Jodie's just full of shit," Marissa tries to calm down her best friend before turning to the blonde. "I'll call you later," she promises before ushering the small brunette out the door and to the safe haven of…anywhere that Jodie isn't at.

Alex closes the door and shakes her head before turning to the woman sitting on her coffee table. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" She asks with an amused smile.

"Uh, no," is the Latina's obvious reply. "It was just too easy," she grins as she selects her character on the screen.

"Why are you Player One?" The blonde whines as she grabs the other guitar controller from the side of her TV.

"Because you were too busy drooling over your girlfriend to lay claim…and quit bitching because I let you have the cordless one," Jodie rolls her eyes.

"Fine," Alex grunts as she selects her own character.

"You always pick punk-ass Judy Nails. You are such a cliché," the brunette snorts at her friend's predictability.

"So, you always pick Casey Lynch, the most whorish-looking character in the game…which I guess _**is **_kind of fitting," she slyly smirks as she flips through the songs.

"Just shut up and prepare to get booed off the stage," Jodie snaps irritably, not having a proper retort to the backhanded insult.

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**Cooper-Nichol Home, 11:30 am**

"So, how did the bonfire go last night, Dear?" Julie questions her daughter as soon as the teen enters the kitchen, having just arrived home.

"Fine," Marissa vaguely replies before she makes her way to the refrigerator and pulls out a carton of orange juice.

The oldest Cooper smirks from behind her cup of coffee as she takes in Marissa's messy appearance. "Oh? Just 'fine'?" She wonders, hoping to get more out of the girl than one-word answers.

"I spent a week and a half getting it together so, at this point, I'm just relieved to have it done and over with," Marissa confesses, pouring herself a glass of juice.

"Was Alex there?" Julie continues her interrogation, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Yes she was…why?" The younger girl asks suspiciously.

Julie holds up a hand in defense at her daughter's tone. "I'm just trying to maintain an interest in my oldest daughter's personal life and I just simply didn't peg Alex as the 'school spirit' type of girl," she shrugs innocently.

"But you pegged her as the type of girl to be so desperate as to accept a 50 thousand dollar bribe to break up with me though, right?" Marissa sarcastically replies. "You know, I really wish you would try to actually get to know Alex instead of judging her all the time," she sighs tiredly.

For a moment, Julie really seems to contemplate this before a thought suddenly strikes her. "How did you know that-"

"Really, Mom?" Marissa cuts her off incredulously. "She tells me everything and we have no reason to lie to each other," she explains, even though she doesn't think she should have to considering that the same thing happened when Julie hit on Alex last week.

"And you tell her everything too?" Julie arches an eyebrow, trying to bait her daughter.

"Yes," is the confident reply.

"Even about you kissing Ryan in the living room Thursday night?" She continues, thinking that she has her cornered.

At this, the younger girl narrows her eyes, remembering that she has yet to confront her mother about that. "I _**did **_tell her and I think it was really low of you to go to him behind my back. I also told her that I turned him down and, last night, he tried to start a fight at the bonfire before Alex broke his nose," she further informs her mother, hurt by the other woman's underhanded tactics.

"What?" Julie blurts out, genuinely surprised by the fact that Ryan would try and start a fight with her daughter's girlfriend just as much as she's surprised that Alex was able to take him down.

"Yeah. It looks like you're latest plot backfired…just like the last two," Marissa snarks.

With this, Julie visibly softens. "Marissa, Sweetie, I'm sorry. I never meant for it to get this far," she sincerely apologizes.

The teen runs her hand through her hair as she drops into a chair at the kitchen counter. "Mom, I'm just tired of you always playing the villain in my relationships. Can't you just accept that this thing with Alex is serious and we really love each other? Can't you just be happy for me because I finally found someone that I can be myself with?" She pleads tearfully.

The older woman relaxes her posture and rests a comforting hand overtop of one of her daughter's. "If she really makes you happy then…I guess it wouldn't hurt to try my best to get along with her," she relents hesitantly, wondering if it's even possible for someone to quit meddling, cold turkey.

"Thanks, Mom," Marissa grins before pulling the older woman in for a brief, awkward hug. There is a moment of quiet between them as they pull out of the embrace. "So, what _**did **_you tell Ryan the other day?" She can't help but ask.

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**Alex's Apartment, 12:10 pm**

"Who's getting their 'bony ass handed to her' now?" Alex grins at the disgruntled look on her friend's face, before furrowing her brows in thought. "Although your fat ass can hardly be described as being 'bony'," she throws in, just to further add insult to injury.

Jodie, in a panic, turns to look at her aforementioned ass…before hearing the blonde burst into laughter in response to her vanity. "I will kill you in your sleep…with a screwdriver…one of the flat-headed ones," she growls out, trying to get more descriptive as she grinds the words out through her teeth.

"Or you could just suffocate me with your massive ass," Alex suggests before doubling over in laughter as the Latina's face becomes tinted with red.

"I swear Kelly, you better sleep with your eyes open or-"

The rest of the threat is cut off by a sharp knock on the door. With a frown, Alex turns to her friend with a shrug before removing the guitar controller from her shoulder and setting it on the couch. She answers the door without looking to see who it is.

"Uh, hey," the shocked blonde greets her visitor, her hand gripping the side of the door so tightly that her knuckles turn white.

"Hey," comes the contrite response from the boy at the door, his head angled towards the ground to avoid eye contact and his hair falling in his face.

The pair remain standing in awkward silence for several moments. Jodie, who craned her neck to take a look at the intruder of her Alex-Hangover-Fun-Time, seems to be the one destined to break the silence.

"Wow, she really fucked your face up good!" The brunette exclaims as she sees the bruising and swelling on the blonde boy's face.

"Ignore her," the bartender says, shooting the brunette a glare and Jodie, for once getting the hint, makes a motion as though as she is zipping her lips. "So…what are you doing here Ryan?" She bluntly asks her girlfriend's ex-boyfriend.

"I came here to tell you that I'm sorry for…everything. It wasn't about you," Ryan apologizes quietly.

Alex raises an eyebrow in interest as she opens the door a little wider in a silent invitation for him to come in. "I'm listening," she simply states, waiting for him to continue as she folds her arms across her chest.

Ryan gives Jodie a pleading look. "I'm just going to get that bowl of cereal," the brunette excuses herself to the kitchen, but not actually getting out of hearing range.

"I'll admit to being more than a little jealous of you and Marissa's relationship. I can't remember the last time that I've seen her this happy and, I guess, I just wanted to be the reason for that happiness," he confesses to the blonde girl, noting the small smile on her face…not out of being smug, but out of genuine care about Marissa's state of being.

The bar manager drops her arms casually to her sides. "I understand why you would because Marissa's…amazing," she empathizes with him.

Ryan takes pause, not knowing how the blonde will react to what else he has to say. "I also let my feelings cloud my judgment when Julie Cooper came to me the other day and told me that you were a bad influence on Marissa. She said that you were the reason why Marissa was so wasted at the Bait Shop Thursday night and I believed her."

Surprising to the shorter boy, Alex merely nods as she takes it all in, this sounding exactly like the Julie Cooper she has gotten to know recently. "I appreciate your concern and, if Marissa knew the whole story, I'm sure she would appreciate it too," she finally responds. "Do you still believe that I'm a bad influence?" She then questions after a moment, a smirk barely visible on her face.

"No…I got the real story from Seth…who got it from Summer. And, according to Summer, you also seem to be a bit of a closet nerd too so, I think it's safe to say that I've been seriously underestimating you Alex," he answers back.

"Common mistake," Alex shrugs nonchalantly. "No hard feelings?" She questions, pointing to his damaged nose.

"I kind of deserved it," Ryan admits.

"Yeah, you kind of did," the blonde smirks back.

"Right…" Ryan trails off uncomfortably, not sure what else to say. "I guess I'll leave you to go back to playing _**Guitar Hero**_," he says.

Alex seems to contemplate something for a moment. "Or…you could join in?" She offers tentatively.

"Sure," Ryan agrees after thinking it over for a minute.

"Excuse me?! You and I were playing!" Jodie butts in from the kitchen, having listened to the entire exchange.

"No, _**I **_was playing and _**you **_were sucking," Alex corrects the other woman.

"Hey!" Is all the brunette can come up with.

"Get over it, your ass is going on the drums," she orders the Latina.

"Hell no! If I am not bass or lead, I am totally doing the singing," Jodie argues back.

The blonde girl groans. "Sorry Ryan, I hope you have a strong stomach," she apologizes ahead of time.

"I'm not that bad," the offended brunette snaps as she begins to hook up the microphone and controller.

Alex rolls her eyes and Ryan smirks, wondering why he never bothered to try and befriend the blonde girl sooner.

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I loved writing Marissa and Alex (especially 'hung-over' Alex) in the very beginning of this chapter. Hell, even writing Jodie was fun, though she was probably more than a little out of character (judging by what the actual writers showed of her). Also, yes, I love _**Ren and Stimpy**_, _**South Park**_, and _**Guitar Hero**_ (I'm also probably getting too old for them too) so I felt compelled to include them.

This was a fun chapter and I am actually very pleased with how it turned out...which is a major feat seeing as how it's usually almost painful for me to go back and read stuff that I've written. I literally can't read any of my other stories without cringing but, like I said, this one kind of makes me laugh. I'm sure I'll hate a week from now, but I currently kind of dig it.

So, I would hope that the interactions between everyone came off well...I am especially concerned with the believability involving Julie. But, at least Marissa and Julie made up, Alex and Ryan made up, and Jodie got to be a pain in the ass. I'm concerned Jodie is a little out of character, but the writers didn't really give us much to work with. Another head's up, there is going to be more fun to come...and it will end up being no more than 40 chapters (even _**that**_ would be a bit of a stretch).

**Wonderous**, I always thought that Marissa was a lot better off when she was dating Alex. This was the one relationship that she didn't spend the entire time completely drunk or high, which is one of the few things from the actual show that I didn't feel the need to change. Also, no worries about Alex becoming some drunken bitch like she did in the _**real **__Blaze of Glory_ episode.

So, chapter three of _**This Year Will Be Different**_ is up along with chapter thirteen of _**Taking Risks**_. Also, I updated my profile and put some more info on some of my works-in-progress and added another _House_ story that I'm working on. Be sure to check it out if you're interested. As always, reviews are welcome.


	32. Fighting and Foreplay

**A/N**: This chapter is really light and pretty long.

**A/N2**: Mentions of sex, but nothing graphic…sorry.

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**Chapter Thirty-Two - Fighting and Foreplay**

**1:00 pm**

Smile firmly in place, Marissa pulls up in front of her girlfriend's apartment. After her talk with her mom earlier, she found that she was unable to contain herself from sharing the good news with the blonde. At the very least, she can fill Alex in on Ryan's motives for trying to break them up.

As she approaches the apartment she hears the distinct sound of Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" playing in the living room. When she gets closer, however, she finds that she is hearing a sad, bastardized version of the song.

"…The mm mm of a winnerrrr, and you arrrrre gonna beeeee!…You're a heartbreaker. Dream raker, love baker. Why you messin' 'round on meeeee?…You're a-" The music cuts off and the singer pauses mid-lyric.

"Jodie, what the hell was_ **that**_?!" Alex's voice shouts.

"I'm singing the goddamn song, what's your goddamn problem?" The Latina snaps back.

"You were butchering the song…and you aren't even singing the right lyrics," the blonde points out, no one notices the front door open since they are too busy arguing.

"They sounded right to me…and how would you even know?" Is the irritated challenge.

"Because they scroll across the top of the screen, Jackass," the bartender snarks as Marissa closes the door and smirks at the sounds of their bickering, not having seen them yet.

"Fuck! Ryan, tell Alex she's being a total bitch," the small brunette orders the other known occupant.

"Ryan, tell Jodie she's being an illiterate, talent-less diva," Alex replies in a mocking tone. The mention of the blonde boy brings Marissa's attention to the other person in the room, sitting tiredly on the couch.

"I don't want to get in the middle of it," Ryan sighs.

"Wow, how long have I been gone?" Marissa blurts out upon witnessing the scene unfolding before her eyes.

"Hey!" Alex grins upon spotting the lanky brunette. She lifts the guitar off from over her shoulder and goes over to greet her with a brief kiss.

"Oh, great," Jodie groans as she drops her microphone to the floor and goes over to sit next to Ryan on the couch. "What's up?" She casually asks the blonde boy, who simply shrugs. "Well said, Silent Bob," she mumbles irritably.

"Hey, yourself," Marissa smiles back at her girlfriend, the couple forgetting about Jodie and Ryan for the time being. "So, seriously, what's going on?" She wonders, eyeing her ex-boyfriend.

"We're playing _**Guitar Hero**_ and Jodie is massacring every song from every decade and every genre," Alex replies, surprised when the Latina doesn't try to start a fight. Looking behind her, she rolls her eyes upon witnessing Jodie and Ryan having a 'swordfight' with the game's drumsticks.

"No. I want to know what's going on with _**that**_," the taller girl points to the fighting duo on the couch. "What's Ryan doing here? You guys got into it pretty bad last night and you broke his nose…and now you're best friends?" She tries to clear up her confusion by asking more questions.

"Oh, that!" The shorter girl chuckles to herself.

"You are such a blonde, Lex," Marissa grins, shaking her head.

"Yeah, he came over, like, an hour ago. We talked, he apologized, and we started bonding over videogames," Alex explains his presence in her apartment as simply as possible.

The brunette arches an eyebrow at the answer. "Can you be a little _**more **_specific and a little _**less **_dense?"

Alex scowls at her girlfriend's question. "I don't know, can you be a little _**less **_of a bitch?" She retorts defensively, falling back into habit.

"Not if _**you're **_going to be one too! I just asked a simple question, there's no need for you to bite my damn head off about it!" Marissa snaps.

"You didn't _**just **_ask a question…you had a tone," the bartender points out in agitation. Ryan, witnessing the entire exchange is becoming increasingly concerned. Jodie reaches under the couch and pulls out the copy of the _National Enquirer_ that she left the other day.

"I had a tone?…You're jumping up my ass because you think I had a _**tone**_?!" The brunette shouts as they get into each other's faces.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down. What are you even fighting about anyways?" Ryan butts in, hoping to keep the couple from tearing each other apart.

Both girls turn to him. "Shut up!" They yell in unison, too stubborn to admit that they can't even remember what sparked the argument in the first place. Afraid, Ryan backs off to sit next to Jodie, the only normal one in the apartment…oddly enough.

Alex is the first to speak, less than a second later. "Why do-"

"I'm sorry," Marissa interrupts.

"You are?" The bar manager asks, surprised at how easily her girlfriend gave in.

"Yeah. I had a tone," she willingly admits. "I shouldn't have been-"

Whatever the brunette had intended to say is cut off by a pair of lips crushing against her own. Alex has her hands resting gently on either side of her girlfriend's face as she continues her relentless attack on the other girl's willing lips.

When the blonde pulls back slightly to break for air, Marissa takes the opportunity to begin to push her girlfriend in the general direction of the bedroom. She latches her mouth on to Alex's neck, mischievously determined to give _**her **_the hickey this time. The blonde releases a low moan from the back of her throat, her fingers tracking up the other girl's sides and stomach from under her shirt.

Returning her mouth to Alex's as they make their way down the hall, the taller girl can't help but feel smug about proving her girlfriend wrong. _See, I'm not so much of an exhibitionist that I would be willing to have sex in a living room in front of my ex-boyfriend and my girlfriend's best friend_. That's her last coherent thought.

Back in the other room, Ryan is completely stunned by all of the events that occurred since Marissa arrived twenty minutes ago. They went from smiling to talking to arguing to yelling and to making out as they go towards the bedroom. When the black tank top that Alex was wearing comes flying down the hall followed by a mild curse from the blonde and a giggle from his ex-girlfriend, Ryan turns towards Jodie with a blush creeping up his face.

"What just happened?" He questions, figuring that she would probably know better than anyone if her cool demeanor is anything to go by.

"You were there too. You tell me," the Latina smirks as she flips to the next page of the 'Alligator Boy' article.

"Everything was fine until they started arguing and then…" he trails off, gesturing in the direction the two girls disappeared in…where the sound of giggling can be heard.

"Yeah, fighting is foreplay to those two. Now, they get to 'make up'," the other woman grins slyly.

"Are they always like that?" Ryan asks, concerned and fearful of working with them both during his next shift at the Bait Shop.

"If not worse," Jodie responds nonchalantly. Upon seeing his horrified expression, she puts her magazine down and looks him in the eye. "They've been dating for a month and working together for over _**seven **_months…their cycles have totally synchronized by now," she carefully explains, knowing that this kind of information can sometimes be too much for a guy to handle.

Ryan is terrified at the revelation. "You mean, once a month they're both…" he can't even finish his thought.

"Yeah, they will both become borderline psychotic and, possibly, homicidal. It's even scarier that they don't even realize that they're acting like that," the brunette confirms.

"But you work spend a lot of time with Alex too. Why aren't you…insane?"

"Trust me. It's different when two girls are dating and they start PMSing at the same time," she scoffs.

"Summer said that you and Alex used to date," the blonde boy points out.

"And we stopped because it was safer for the both of us. Most people get out of relationships with a ton of emotional scars…we got out of our relationship with physical ones," the Latina laughs.

"Physical?" Ryan gulps.

"I have a one just above my eye from when she threw a book at my head. Well, not so much of a 'book' as it was a volume of an encyclopedia. She has a small one on her lower back from when she fell through a window. If you ask her about it, though, she'll say I pushed her. But that's a dirty _**lie**_."

"Is it always like that between girls when they are…together?" He wonders, almost afraid of the answer.

"What? No. That's just how Alex and I were. We didn't exactly bring out the best in each other," Jodie understates with a grin. "Marissa is in good hands…so to speak," she suggestively wags her eyebrows at this.

As if meant to punctuate the small brunette's double meaning, a loud moan echoes through the apartment from the bedroom. Ryan's eyes widen at the sound as he stands up and runs his fingers through his hair.

"They're having sex now," he blurts out uncomfortably.

"Yep. You want to go watch 'em?" The other woman grins mischievously as she gets up as well.

"What? _**No**_!" Ryan answers too quickly, his voice rising in pitch on the last word.

"Come on, they are going to be _**way **_too occupied to even notice," she tries to reason. He looks to be contemplating the idea as he sends a torn expression towards the closed bedroom door.

"_Alex,"_ Marissa moans.

"No way. I'm leaving…to get a burger or something," Ryan announces with finality. The last thing he wants to do is disrespect his ex-girlfriend and her new and, apparently, intense relationship.

"Suit yourself," Jodie shrugs, making her way down the hall, only to have a hand on her arm stop her.

"What are you doing?" The blonde boy asks.

"Unlike _**you**_, _**I **_am not a pussy…I'm going to watch," she informs him, yanking her arm out of his loose grip.

"No, you're coming with me," Ryan corrects, taking a hold of her hand and dragging her out of the apartment.

"This _**so **_isn't fair," she whines, trying to dig the heels of her feet into the ground to provide as much resistance as possible.

"Tough," he replies as they near his car.

While struggling to get his keys out, Ryan inadvertently lets go of the woman's hand. Jodie takes off back towards the apartment with the intent of locking him out when she gets in, at this point acting up just for the sake of being annoying and not to be a pervert.

Ryan runs off after her. When he catches up to the brunette, he doesn't bother grabbing her hand to drag her to the car…he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder.

"Alex was right. You really _**are **_a pain in the ass," he grumbles under his breath.

"Put me down or I'll fire your ass," Jodie threatens as she hits him in the back and squirms to break free.

"Only Alex can fire me," Ryan points out as he puts her down in the backseat and locks the door before getting in the driver's side.

As they start to drive off, Jodie manages to get herself upright enough to climb into the front, a scowl firmly in place. "You are such a buzz kill, you know that?" She growls, earning a smirk in response.

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**1:45 pm**

Jodie sits staring at the menu in the diner thoughtfully before looking up at her companion, the waitress beginning to grow impatient. "You're paying, right?" She questions him. He arches an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look, you dragged me out of the apartment, threw me over your shoulder and threw me in the car. You owe me," she argues.

Ryan shrinks back when the waitress' irritable expression turns to one of disbelief as she turns her attention to the blonde guy at the table. Jodie gives him a triumphant grin.

"Yeah, I'm paying," he agrees, knowing there would be no way to get out of it without looking like an ass.

"Okay then. I'll have a two cheeseburgers, no mayo; fries _**and **_onion rings; and a vanilla milkshake," Jodie looks up at the other two to find them with matching dumbfounded expressions. "You get hungry when you spend half the day trapped in the trunk of some guy's car," she calmly explains to the waitress.

Ryan can't help but shake his head and chuckle. "She's kidding," he smiles.

The waitress nods, not sure who to believe. "I'll be back with your orders," she informs them, walking away.

"I can see why Alex would throw a book at your head," he deadpans.

"Careful or I'll throw...watch you fall out of a window," Jodie retorts, correcting herself mid-sentence.

"I though you said she fell," Ryan calls her out.

Jodie clears her throat and takes a sip of her water. "She did…I was just making a point," she evades, not making eye contact.

"Uh huh," is the unconvinced response.

"Alex lies," Jodie fibs, trying to find a distraction.

"Of course she does," the younger boy smirks.

Jodie's reprieve from the conversation comes in the form of the bell over the door to the diner ringing, signaling new customers. Upon seeing a look of recognition cross Ryan's face, she turns around to see who the new arrivals are.

Spotting the seated pair, the couple in the doorway pause and share a confused expression before making their way over.

"Hey guys!" Jodie grins, waving them over.

"Hey," Seth greets with a smile as he drops down into the booth next to Ryan.

"What are you doing?" Summer questions her boyfriend, arms folded across her chest.

"Sitting?" The curly-haired boy guesses.

"Did you forget that Ryan started a fight with Alex at the bonfire last night after he tried to break up Marissa and Alex?" The small brunette asks him.

"Ryan and Alex made up," Jodie interrupts with a smile.

"Really? After one day?" Summer asks in disbelief as she takes a seat next to the other woman.

"Yep. They talked and, as it turned out, Julie Cooper was pretty much the Puppet Master of the whole thing," the Latina answers. "Besides, Alex isn't one to hold a grudge," she waves off.

"So Ryan, I guess that means that you're one of the guys again," Seth grins at his best friend.

"'One of the guys', Seth? Without me it's just you," Ryan points out obviously.

"Seth counts Alex as 'one of the guys'," Summer rolls her eyes, forgetting that she does the same thing sometimes.

"Does _**Alex **_count Alex as one of the guys?" Ryan wonders curiously.

"She's fine with it," the smaller girl shrugs.

"Yeah, right," Jodie scoffs. "It pisses her the hell off," she adds.

"Alex can get over it. Marissa's such a girly-girl that Alex is the guy by default," Summer cuts in.

"Please, Alex is totally a girly-girl," the other brunette scoffs.

Before Summer can even respond, Seth voices the question that has been bothering him since he and his girlfriend entered the diner. "Ryan, why are you here with Jodie, of all people? Are you guys, like, dating or something?" He asks.

"No!" They both vehemently deny at the same time.

"I don't screw dudes. _**Alex **_is bi, not _**me**_," Jodie explains her outburst, disgusted by the prospect of being with a guy.

"And I'm still with Lindsay," Ryan says.

"Then what are you two even doing here together?" Summer wonders.

"Alex, Jodie, and I were playing _**Guitar Hero**_ and-"

"You were playing _**Guitar Hero**_ without me?" Seth whines, earning him a smack to the back of the head from his girlfriend.

"You weren't invited because you act like a dork," Jodie snarks.

"_**Anyway**_, Marissa showed up around 1:00 and, somehow, she and Alex ended up in an argument. Then she apologized and-"

"Alex apologized? Marissa really _**does **_have her whipped," Summer acknowledges.

"No, _**Marissa **_is the one that apologized because she started it," Jodie corrects the younger girl.

"What were they fighting about?" Seth asks, as if it matters.

"Something about Marissa saying something…but she had a 'tone'," Ryan mutters, unable to understand women at all, before he continues. "So, after that, they started making out in the living room before going to the bedroom-"

"It was crazy. There were clothes flying everywhere and they were bumping into walls and stuff," the Latina exaggerates.

"And they knew you guys were right there?" Summer questions, incredulously.

"Definitely. We were sitting on the couch," Jodie confirms. "Then, this little bitch freaked out when he started hearing them start moaning in the other room," she indicates Ryan as she calls him a 'little bitch'. "Yeah, he decided to leave and drag my ass with him," she gripes.

"You were going to go spy on them," Ryan points out.

"I asked if you wanted to spy with me," Jodie replies.

"You said no?!" Seth shouts at his friend.

"It would have been weird and disrespectful. Besides-"

"Yay! Food," Jodie cuts the blonde boy off as she sees the waitress arrive with several plates.

Seth and Summer's eyes widen at the amount of food the small woman ordered. As Jodie begins to tear into her food, her three tablemates watch her in astonishment.

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**2:30 pm**

"You know…" Alex trails off thoughtfully as she steps back into her bedroom with two bottles of water and the tank top the brunette chucked down the hallway, "…if we keep this up, we may end up with no friends left," she muses, handing one of the bottles of water to her girlfriend.

"I take it we chased Jodie and Ryan out of your apartment then?" Marissa questions as she takes a sip from her water, nude with the exception of the thin sheet covering her.

"Ryan, definitely. He probably had to haul Jodie away kicking and screaming though," the blonde answers back with a smirk before taking a long drink from her own water and setting the bottle on the nightstand on her side of the bed.

"That sounds like her," Marissa laughs at the accurate description of the smaller brunette's probable behavior.

Alex doesn't say anything right away as she begins to remove the t-shirt and boxers that she hastily threw on before leaving the room because she wasn't sure if the rest of the apartment was empty or not. The boxers come off just as easily before the blonde slips back into the bed under the sheet.

Marissa watches her the whole time, a grin firmly planted on her face. "Naked is good," she practically purrs as she cuddles up to the shorter girl and begins placing light kisses on her collarbone.

"Yeah," Alex breathes out, not having expected her girlfriend to be right back on her the moment she crawled back into bed, but she isn't about to complain as she pulls the other girl's lips up to meet her own.

The air becomes charged as the couple begin to get back into a rhythm similar to that of the one they had before taking the short breather. Marissa, still on top, starts to let her hands wander as she continues her assault on the shorter girl's mouth. Alex, for her part, sighs in contentment, her own hands lightly drawing up and down the other girl's sides and back, occasionally dragging her short nails lightly across the sensitive skin.

However, the silence is broken with the shrill ring of Alex's cell phone. With a groan, Marissa tugs gently on her girlfriend's bottom lip with her teeth before pulling away and moving off of the blonde.

Alex, so frustrated that she could cry, answers her phone with the corresponding amount of irritation. "What?" She growls moments before her dark look softens. "Hi Mom," she greets.

Marissa takes this to mean that it could be a while before they can continue their previous activities. She climbs out of the bed, sticking out her tongue in response to the bartender's pleading expression. Alex goes on with her conversation.

"No, I didn't _**mean **_to snap…I was just occupied…With what?…Um, my girlfriend," she mumbles the last part.

This gets Marissa's attention and she turns to face the naked blonde still in the bed, her hands on her hips. "You told your mother we were fooling around?" She hisses and Alex ignores her.

"Yes. I have a girlfriend…About a month…I know it is, thanks for reminding me," she rolls her eyes at the woman on the other end of the line. "Part of the reason…Okay, the _**whole **_reason…You what?!…Why?" He last two responses come out in an almost panic.

"What's wrong?" Marissa wonders, curious as to what has the shorter girl so upset.

Alex holds the phone out to the brunette. "My mom wants to talk to you," she explains quietly.

The taller of the two stares blankly at the phone being held out to her before reluctantly taking it. "Hello?"

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The next chapter should be interesting. You didn't think that I would just completely forget about Alex's parents did you? There will be more Steven and Tracy Kelly coming.

I think Ryan was horribly out of character in this chapter, but I don't care because that stuff between him and Jodie was fun. Also, judging by what we saw on the show, I can see Alex and Jodie having a volatile relationship where they bring out the worst in each other…but can still manage to maintain a playful friendship, oddly enough. Sadly, the reason why I write Jodie the way that I do is because that's pretty much how I am…except without the pushing people through windows part. I'm a pacifist. Other than that, I'm a sarcastic and inappropriate smartass.

**Wonderous**, I like Jodie being goofy and over-the-top sometimes. Alex always seemed to be forgiving and unable to hold a grudge, so I think she would try and be friends with Ryan, even after everything. Also, it's not _**quite **_Alex saying 'no', but Marissa actually admitted to being wrong. It'll come eventually though.

**minako366**, it has been my experience that the people that are usually the biggest threat to a relationship are the two people that are actually _**in **_that relationship. They may not be at odds with Julie or Ryan, but that doesn't mean that they won't have problems with each other. Don't worry too much about it getting boring yet (I hope).

**Tsukishiro**, I'm glad you like the story so far. I'm not sure what the online equivalent to a page-turner would be though…maybe a chapter-turner (even though that sounds **_so _**tacky)?

Anyways, this ending Author's Note is getting way too damn long (like they have been with _**all **_of my stories recently). So, let me finish by saying that chapter four ("Easter") of _**This Year Will Be Different**_ and chapter fourteen of _**Taking Risks**_ are now up. Check them out and, if you like, send me a review to tell me what you think of this chapter.


	33. Conversations with Mothers

**A/N**: This is such a short chapter compared to the last, like, six chapters. Anyways, this is kind of fun. There's a little bit of Malex and quite a bit of Julie, for good measure.

**A/N2**: So, yeah, this took a little while to get out. I had to work too much during Spring Break last week and I got lazy with my writing. But, here it is.

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**_Where We Left Off:_**

_Alex holds the phone out to the brunette. "My mom wants to talk to you," she explains quietly. _

_The taller of the two stares blankly at the phone being held out to her before reluctantly taking it. "Hello?"_

**Chapter Thirty-Three - Conversations with Mothers**

Alex grabs the unopened box of Pop Tarts in the cupboard before hopping up to sit on the kitchen counter, the scowl never leaving her face. She rips open the cardboard and pulls out a pouch of the pastry. She glares at her girlfriend sitting at the small table in her kitchen, chatting away on the phone.

It has been well over an hour since she handed her cell over to the brunette, as per her mother's request. Now, the two seem to be chatting away like best friends. Tearing open the pouch, the blonde breaks a piece off of one of the Pop Tarts and shoves it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully until Marissa's hysterical laughter brings her back to earth.

"There is no _**way **_that she was the captain of the JV cheerleading squad!" The taller girl gasps out in amusement, her eyes flicking over to the blonde sitting on the counter.

"Fckk 'oo 'om!" Alex manages to shout, her words indecipherable through the food crammed into her mouth. Though, with the force of the glare and scowled expression, the implication is clear that she had meant to say, 'fuck you, Mom'.

"No, she didn't really say anything. Just Alex being temperamental," Marissa answers a question from the other end of the line, a disapproving frown directed at her girlfriend as she does so. "Oh, I understand…Of course, duty calls…I would love to meet you too, Mrs. Kelly…Okay, Tracy," the brunette grins as she speaks to the other woman.

The shorter girl's eyes widen as she gets a feel for the direction of their current conversation. Dropping back to the floor, Alex opens her refrigerator and pulls out a half gallon of milk. Not even bothering with the luxury of a glass, she begins to chug it down, making it easier to swallow the half-chewed wad of pastry in her mouth.

Marissa watches on, amused, as she speaks to her girlfriend's mother. "That sounds like a great idea…No, that's perfect. I-"

"Give me the phone!" Alex manages to speak actual words as she lunges towards the phone, having just choked back the half of a Pop Tart that she crammed in her mouth all at once.

Standing up, Marissa barely escapes her counterpart, sticking out her tongue to gloat. "She doesn't seem to think that we should continue talking about this," is her answer to the question regarding what Alex is yelling about. In her state of smug satisfaction, she is unprepared from when the other girl snatches the phone out of her hand.

"Mom? Hey, what's up?" Alex wonders quickly, her girlfriend is still too stunned from the abrupt action to have moved from standing, holding out her hand as if she is still talking on the phone.

"_Oh…Alexis,"_ Tracy is shocked to suddenly hear her daughter instead of Marissa. _"Marissa certainly seems like a wonderful girl…and a good enough reason to stay in Newport rather than come home to L.A.,"_ she gushes about the brunette, adding the last part in slyly.

"Yeah, she is," the blonde finds herself smiling fondly, relaxing some as she gazes over at the other girl and forgets the reason why she took the phone in the first place.

"_We were just making plans for the two of you to drive up here next weekend and stay with us for a couple of days. I'd really like to meet her in person and I'm sure your father is going to love her too," _she breaks down the subject of the conversation.

"But I can't, I have work and-"

"_You're the manager Alexis, you can have your other employees work instead,"_ the older Kelly woman waves it off.

"But, Mom-"

"_No 'buts'. Your father and I will expect you to be here no later than Saturday morning," _she sternly cuts her daughter off once again, leaving no room for argument.

"Fine," the blonde groans.

"_Good girl…Now put Marissa back on the phone so I can say goodbye," _Tracy grins triumphantly.

Defeated, Alex limply holds the phone out to the other girl, resisting the urge to start simpering about how 'unfair' life is. She sulkily takes a seat on one of the chairs at the table.

"I absolutely _**love **_your mom, Lexi," Marissa grins as she drops down to sit on her girlfriend's lap.

"You can have her," the blonde mumbles as she wraps her arms around the brunette's waist, not looking forward to the road trip…or asking Jodie to manage the Bait Shop over the weekend.

"Stop being such a Gloomy Gus," the taller girl teases in a voice one usually reserves for children under five, playfully pinching one of Alex's cheeks as she does so.

Fighting a smile, Alex takes the hand assaulting her face and laces their fingers together. "This is going to suck," she muses.

"Well, that's the spirit," the other girl rolls her eyes before standing up. "Come on," she says as she pulls Alex up with her.

"'Come on', what?"

"Show me how to play that guitar game you were playing with Jodie and my ex," she requests with a smile.

This earns a laugh from the blonde. "I have a bad feeling about this," she shakes her head, following her girlfriend into the living room anyway.

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**5:30 pm**

"You're in a good mood," Julie arches an eyebrow when she sees her daughter flouncing into the kitchen, having just gotten back from Alex's apartment.

"Yep," Marissa grins as she goes to the freezer and pulls out a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream.

"Dare I ask why?" The older Cooper wonders uncertainly.

"Can't I just be in a good mood?" Marissa chuckles, not wanting to bring up the trip to L.A. just yet.

"I take it this is Alex's doing, then?" Julie ventures with a smirk, grudgingly willing to admit that the blonde bartender _**does **_seem to be a good influence on her daughter.

"Uh hmm," the younger girl confirms, nodding her head and mumbling through a mouthful of ice cream.

"You have quite the appetite this evening," the socialite points out with amusement.

Marissa licks the spoon and tries not to think about _**why **_she is suddenly craving sugar and carbs. "I guess so," she agrees, blushing anyways as her thoughts drift back to her girlfriend.

Julie's eyes widen as she puts the pieces together in regards to her daughter's good mood, craving for something sweet, her tone, and the blush. "Oh my god! You just had sex, didn't you?!" She can't help but blurt out as soon as she reaches her conclusion.

Marissa chokes on a chunk of fudge from her ice cream at the outburst. She manages to cough it up, her face reddened at the effort. "God, Mom! Are you trying to kill me?" She gasps as she still tries to catch her breath.

"You did!" Julie realizes upon the lack of a denial. "How long have you two been having sex?" She interrogates.

"Do you have no boundaries whatsoever?" The younger brunette whines, embarrassed at having been called out on her earlier activities.

"No. How long?" Julie questions again.

"You're relentless, " Marissa grumbles under her breath. "A little over two weeks," she answers the question with a sigh.

"How long have the two of you been dating?" The older Cooper woman wonders suspiciously.

"About a month," is the immediate response, deciding that there is really no use to try and dodge her mother's questions.

"You were sleeping together when you had barely been together for two weeks? Marissa, don't you think you two are moving a little fast?" Julie barks at the revelation.

"Mom," Marissa sighs in exasperation. "Alex and I have had this weird love-hate relationship going on for _**months**_ and, because of that, it doesn't feel like we've been moving to fast at all. Besides, it's not like either of us are going to get pregnant or anything," she argues.

"I know you aren't going to get pregnant," the other woman scoff indignantly, insulted that her daughter would think of her to be so dense. "It's just that, you know, one night you're just having sex and, before you know it, it's a week later and you are moving in together, shaving your head, and wearing…_**plaid**_," her last word is said with a tone conveying her utter disgust with that particular fashion-don't.

"Seriously, you have been watching too much TV if you managed to cram that many stereotypes into one sentence. She and I both know that we're only 17 and it is _**way **_too soon to even think about moving in together. We aren't stupid. Alex and I are _**way **_too attached to having long hair. And, besides, Alex isn't even _**gay**_, she's _**bisexual**_," she corrects her mother's assumptions.

"Are you?" Julie arches an eyebrow.

"Am I what?" Marissa scrunches up her brow in confusion at the ambiguity of the question.

"Are you gay or are you bisexual?" Her mother clarifies.

"I…" Marissa trails off, for once realizing that she has never bothered to question herself or her feelings in regards to Alex. "I don't know what I am, Mom. Before Alex, I never even considered being with another girl, but now…it feels a lot more natural than any other relationship I've been in," she thoughtfully tries to explicate her feelings.

"Then how do you know this isn't just a passing phase?" Julie pushes.

"Because, since Alex and I started dating, I've been more aware of small things about the way I linger on certain pages of the _Victoria's Secret_ catalogues or how I might watch another girl walk down the hall a little longer than necessary. I haven't changed, but I've just been noticing these things about myself. I know that, if it wasn't Alex, eventually, another girl would have come along and this would have happened anyways," she goes on, hating that she has to justify herself to begin with.

Julie sighs in defeat, acknowledging that her daughter has crushed any hope of this being just a phase. "So, there will be no plaid or Birkenstocks in your future, right?" She questions, just to be sure that her biggest fears will not be realized.

"Please, I'd sooner burn my eyes out…and you've seen Alex, she wouldn't be caught dead in them either," Marissa chuckles at the thought of even suggesting it to the blonde.

"I was just checking," Julie defends her question. "It's good to hear that Alex isn't that 'style' either. I couldn't sure considering that she seems to be the guy in your relationship," she adds contemplatively, mostly to herself.

"Mom, there is no 'guy', that's kind of the point of dating a girl…and most of the appeal," the younger girl is quick to correct the older woman once more, a small smirk on her face at the last part. "And why does everyone keep saying that? I wish they'd stop," she grumbles under her breath.

After arching her brow, Julie ignores the mumbled grievance. "So, you told me how much of a raving bitch she was before, but is she still like that now that you're dating?" She wonders.

"Of course not. She's…sweet," the teen smiles fondly at her girlfriend's general behavior.

"Good," Julie nods in acceptance. "And she doesn't give you a lot of crap, right?" She then asks, already able to venture a guess, knowing her daughter as well as she does.

"No, I pretty much have her wrapped around my little finger. Summer says that Alex is 'whipped'," Marissa smirks in response.

"That's my girl. I suppose you _**did **_inherit more than just my great fashion sense and beauty after all," Julie shares a mischievous grin with her daughter, beaming with pride. She is inwardly amused at the thought that the spunky blonde bartender, who is all attitude and snappy comebacks, has been whipped by her daughter in such a short amount of time.

"So…" Marissa trails off, maintaining her smile and deciding to take advantage of this rare pleasant mother-daughter moment. "Since you are now cool with Alex and me, I have a favor to ask," she leads in, keeping her tone light.

"Oh, what kind of favor?" Julie asks, hoping that it doesn't involve getting her to sign a consent form for her and Alex to get matching tattoos.

"Well, Alex's mom was hoping to get a chance to meet me this weekend and I just wanted to clear it with you to make sure it will be okay," she says, choosing her words carefully and continuing to smile so as not to betray the depth of her, seemingly, innocuous request.

"Of course it's okay, Sweetheart. I think it's a wonderful idea for you to meet her family. I don't know why you felt like you needed my permission, though," the older woman chuckles.

"Great! I'm going to call Alex and tell her that it's fine," Marissa grins as she pulls out her cell phone and dials, having just wheedled her way into getting consent to leave Newport.

With a nostalgic smile of the over-exaggerated innocence of her own teen years, Julie goes to the refrigerator to find something low-cal to snack on. She can't help but shake her head in amusement at the excitement in her daughter's voice as she listens to her side of the conversation, glad that Marissa finally seems happy.

"Guess what, Lex?…She said it was okay…I know!…Yes…I _**did**_…" Marissa continues to speak into the phone as she heads towards the stairs, unaware that her mom is listening. "Yeah, I totally can't wait to drive up to L.A. to meet your parents this weekend…" she grins excitedly before her voice fades, lost in the abyss of the enormous mansion.

"Teenagers," Julie laughs at her daughter as she chews on the end of a celery stick. It takes a moment for the brunette's last words to sink in. When they do, she spits out a chunk of half-chewed celery into the kitchen sink.

"L.A.?!" She snaps at no one in particular, irritated as she realizes that her daughter just conned her. _Marissa inherited a lot more from me than I originally thought._ She grudgingly admits, still oddly proud of herself for having taught her daughter so well.

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So, Alex's parents popping up again. Fun, stuff. Uh, I'm pretty sure Julie came off as being totally out of character, but I still kind of liked the conversation between her and Marissa.

Also, maybe it's just me, but I get the sense that Marissa would have actually gotten along with Alex's parents on the show. I mean, they didn't say much about her parents, but I still have a feeling that they would have liked each other. In the first episode Alex was in, she even had a brief conversation with her mom on the phone, so the mom couldn't have been too bad. Anyways, I just think that the parents would have been a lot more relaxed than when Alex was last living with them and would have been better able to accept Marissa. Just a thought.

Hmm, I actually think that this is it for the ending notes this week. I was saddened by not being able to have Alex in it more…and no Jodie or Summer in it at all, for that matter. But at least we'll get much more Malex in the next chapter.

Oh, chapter fifteen of _**Taking Risks**_ is now up and, unfortunately, due to having no time, there is no update on _**This Year Will Be Different**_, but I'm working on it. Check them out if you are so inclined and, if you want, feel free to leave a review for this as well.


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